Knight of Betrayal and Taiga Cub
by Quatermass
Summary: (Based on my 'Taiga! Taiga' and 'Mordred's Second Chance' challenges) When his relatives perish in the Fuyuki Fire, Harry is adopted by Taiga Fujimura. Their home just gets crazier when Harry comes back from Britain with Mordred Pendragon (who's actually a girl!). But now the Holy Grail War has arrived, and a knight and a cub must team up to stop things from getting worse...
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

This story had a rather convoluted genesis. Those following _The Cauldron_ or _Zelretch's Collection of Alternates_ will have seen _King of His Heart_ , my first attempts at doing a Harry/Arturia story since _Ex Umbra in Solem_ (which hasn't been abandoned, people). That hasn't gone anywhere, though I intend to return to the basic concept, inspired by Dis Lexic's 'Awaken the Dragon' challenge. I decided to do a challenge of my own, with Dis Lexic's permission, 'Mordred's Second Chance', and found it more enticing. Combining it with my 'Taiga! Taiga!' challenge also brought in a new angle: Harry raised by Taiga Fujimura.

Another source of inspiration was sakurademonalchemist's Mordred-centric Potterverse crossover _A Tale of Two Swords_ , though due to differing character development, Mordred here is a little more mellow, at least where her gender and her father is concerned, than her canon counterpart. She's still very much a tomboy, and despite not being a Heroic Spirit, she's going to kick arse, side by side with Harry, and Arturia. Hopefully, you'll like what happens.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both Harry Potter and _Fate/Stay Night_.

Secondly, there will be heavy annotations, as is usual for my works. You have been warned.

Thirdly, this is an M-Rated work. There will be coarse language, violence, and sexual references. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and _Fate/Stay Night_ are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Mordred will run you through with Clarent…


	2. Chapter 1: A Camelot Knight in Fuyuki

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **A CAMELOT KNIGHT IN FUYUKI CITY**

 _He hated it. All the questions and pestering. He wasn't sure what was worst: the cold amorality of the Magi, or the sheeple mentality of wizards. At least Rin and Sakura, he could speak to, not to mention Shirou. He was thankful he could get a Portkey back to Japan, and even more grateful to his…well, he had thought of her as his mother for many years, even though she was only nine years his senior. In any case, she was a better guardian than those relatives who died in that fire seven years ago. She even took the fact that he could use magic in her stride, after the initial shock._

 _Of course, the fact that he was entered into a damned wizarding tournament with a high mortality rate (though not as high as the Grail War, thank Merlin), and even with the danger toned down somewhat, it was meant for bloody students reaching their…NEWTs, as they called the wizarding education for those who reached the end of their school studies. He was caught between Magus and wizard. Wizards could use magic more readily and without gaining the attention of Gaia, most of the time, while Magi's magic was considerably more versatile but harder to use. He could use both, though he favoured the magic of wizards rather than magecraft of the Magi._

 _The attitudes of the two were equally different. While both Magi and wizards were conservative, wizards tended to be complacent and indolent, even stagnant. Magi, by comparison, were more amoral, and tended to take a more scientific approach to magic. Where most wizards might balk at human experimentation, many Magi would do so on the quiet. He had to be grateful that the only Magi he knew weren't anything like that. Then again, his knowledge was restricted to three teenagers about his age, and that damned vampire Zelretch, who had been the one to notify him about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. About how he was under a geas on his original name._

 _Anyway, he'd been wandering the corridors of Hogwarts later that night, unable to get to sleep. That was partly due to jetlag…well, Portkey-lag. Then, there was the Tri-Wizard Tournament and its dangers. And, of course, there was being separated from his mother. He intended to stay only for a short period here, up until the end of the First Task. He'd head back to Japan then, and commute between Japan and Britain for the other Tasks._

 _In any case, Zelretch had given him an intriguing bit of advice…or whatever passed for advice in the infamously trolling vampire. He said to seek out the Room of Requirement, and have it come into being by thinking,_ I seek whatever Merlin left in Hogwarts. _Zelretch had hinted that there was something there that would help him survive the Tri-Wizard Tournament._

 _Maybe it would be a Mystic Code left behind by Merlin, or even a Noble Phantasm. He hoped so. Even if he didn't need something as overpowered as a Noble Phantasm, it would be great to have._

 _He found where Zelretch had claimed the Room of Requirement would be, and paced in front of the wall near that damned painting of trolls being taught to dance, thinking_ I seek whatever Merlin left in Hogwarts. _On the third time he passed in front of it…the wall changed, a door appearing. He went over gingerly, and opened it._

 _The room wasn't what he was expecting. Instead of an arsenal of weapons and magical artifacts, there was a bier, on which a body was lying. An armoured body, clutching a sword. As he walked over, he saw that the person was wearing an intimidating horned helmet. The whole outfit was red where it wasn't metallic. Their hands were crossed over a sword. He resisted the temptation to take it, though, at least until he was sure he could take it without setting off a boobytrap. Plus, as much as Magi tended to be amoral, he felt a bit uneasy about tomb-raiding, which this felt like._

 _A letter was on a lectern nearby. Oddly enough, it was addressed to him. And yet, the letter itself look ancient. He opened it up, and frowned. After it had his name, it went like this_ …

Greetings from the past. The thing about precognition is that it's rather unreliable, especially when one gets far enough into the future. Still, one thing I did see would be your arrival here in this room. I saw your character, and I feel that you are the right person.

You see, the one laying in state in front of your very eyes is one who had a bad lot in life. I believe you may be what they needed, not what they sought. They were said to have died at Camlann, no doubt, but I left instructions with my followers to rescue them.

You both will be good for each other, I believe. During their time here, they have been kept in stasis while their wounds were healed, fuelled by the leylines of Hogwarts. They can teach you how to survive, and you can teach them how to live.

Anyway, best of luck.

Merlin Ambrosius, Magus of Flowers

 _He frowned. Was this all some sort of prank Zelretch had set up? Surely Merlin would not have addressed an envelope to him personally?_

 _Suddenly, there was a gasp from the armoured figure on the bier, and they sat upright. Their helmeted head swivelled around to look at him, and there was a snarl of anger. The figure tried to leap off the bier, only to tumble to the floor in a loud clatter. He was uncertain of what to do at first, but then went over to them, and helped them to their feet. The figure looked at them, and seemed torn between being angry and grateful. "Are you all right?" he asked._

 _"…I'm not sure," the figure said, their voice gruff and rough…and yet being oddly high-pitched for what he expected. "In fact…I didn't expect to wake up." They gently touched his robes. "…Your clothes are weird…where are we?"_

 _"Hogwarts, Scotland."_

 _"Hogwarts? That school founded by those wizards?" The figure then peered at what was on his wrist. "What is that?"_

 _"It's a watch. It tells you what time it is."_

 _"…Can't you use a spell or something? I've never seen anything like it."_

 _"…Well, it's probably been a long time since you've been asleep. I got this letter from, well, Merlin, of all people, and he's been dead or gone for over a thousand years…"_

 _The knight whirled to face him. "Merlin?!" they hissed. "…Wait, did you say dead or gone for over a thousand…years…?"_

 _"…Yeah. I'm…sorry. Look, I know this might be a bit of a shock, but…who are you, anyway?"_

 _"You first," the knight said._

 _"Uhh, all right. I am Harry Fujimura, though I was born Harry Potter."_

 _The knight seemed to absorb this, before nodding. "…Well then, Harry Fujimura, I shall introduce myself." They straightened, and suddenly, their helmet seemed to disassemble itself, folding up and sliding in pieces down the front and back of their armour. And when Harry saw the face beneath, he couldn't help but stare._

 _The face was androgynous, but he realised she was a girl about his age, with a beauty that seemed somewhat wild, untamed, and strong. Her beautiful emerald eyes were much like his own, and her messy golden hair was tied back in a ponytail._

 _"I am Sir Mordred, rightful heir of Arthur Pendragon, King of the Britons!" she declared proudly._

* * *

"RAAARRGH!"

The roar of Mordred Pendragon as she lunged at Harry with a shinai was a by-now familiar sound in the Fujimura household. And to tell the truth, despite the cacophony, it was a welcome one. Mordred, who went by the name of Artemis Fujimura or 'Art' in public, loved these almost daily sparring sessions, either with Harry or his adoptive mother, Taiga (and he was one of the few people who could call her 'Tiger', albeit not without complaint). Mordred was no _kendoka_ , but she was a brilliant swordfighter forged in the strife-filled times of Arthurian Britain, even if she fought dirty.

And to tell the truth, both Harry and Taiga did too. Taiga had been something of a champion _kendoka_ until she got disqualified from an international kendo competition for, according to her, ' _being too amazing at owning bitches(_ _1)_ '. She taught Harry everything she knew. And Harry was one of the star players at the local high school, Homurahara. Mordred would be better at swordplay, but she was disqualified at her first kendo match for using too many illegal moves, much to her anger.

Of course, there was a difference between kendo, or indeed any kind of fencing, and the swordplay one saw on the battlefield. Mordred had fought in many battles back in Arthurian times, after all. But Harry found her style of fighting refreshing, and he used something similar whenever he sparred with her.

Their friendship, indeed, their love got off to a rocky start. Harry was confused at the fact that Mordred was a girl, and had nearly been attacked for his troubles, given Mordred's issues with her gender. There was also the uneasy feeling he had, being around the infamous Knight of Treachery. It took much of the following couple of months for them to get used to each other, but their friendship had, surprisingly, become strong by the time Christmas of that year rolled around, and he needed a date to the Yule Ball. It took some persuading for Mordred to accept that…though that was mostly because she refused to wear a dress. Oddly enough, a tuxedo was more to her liking, once she was told she had to wear something that covered most of herself.

By the time the Tri-Wizard Tournament ended, and Harry managed to escape from that graveyard (though not before managing a sneak attack on Voldemort while he was monologuing, managing to kill that current body), Harry and Mordred had become firm friends. In truth, he made few in Britain. That Hermione girl, that dotty little blonde Luna, the Weasley Twins and their younger brother…and that was pretty much it. Oh, he now had some family in the form of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, both of whom were now staying at Clock Tower under the protection of Zelretch, due to Sirius being framed, as well as Sirius' relative 'Don't Call Me Nymphadora' Tonks, who was now working for the Enforcers at Clock Tower. Then again, it wasn't like he had many friends here. Aside from the three young Magi, he could count Issei Ryuudou as a friend, and that was it.

Harry was broken from his musings, and thus being distracted, when he his guard was knocked aside by Mordred, who knocked him to the ground. "Hey, quit your woolgathering, Harry!" she snapped. "I want a decent bout, not a curbstomping!"

"Sorry, Mordred," Harry said, getting up. "I was just thinking about when we first met, and how it could've been worse."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Like when Shinji made the mistake of hitting on you, and when you refused, he said you were too mannish, despite the fact you didn't have the equipment."

Mordred laughed. "And I told that blue-haired prick I would remove _his_ equipment…if I could find a blade small enough. Seriously…had to give him some percussive maintenance to get him to keep his hands off Sakura, especially when she and the idiot started dating."

"Mordred, Shirou's not an idiot. He's just…singleminded."

"That's one way of putting it. Seriously, he didn't know how to use his magic circuits properly until you and Sakura got him to get his act together. I wanna exhume that idiot of a father of his and bugger him with Clarent for teaching him to do it that way."

Taiga, who'd been looking on, scowled, crossing her arms. The ditzy woman with light brown hair cut short was actually in a relationship with Remus Lupin, and didn't care that he was a werewolf. Remus was currently working at Clock Tower with Zelretch to try and gain Sirius' freedom. "Mordred, the Kiritsugu I knew was a good man. I don't care what Rin or those weirdoes in Clock Tower claim. So you won't be doing any buggery of Kiritsugu's corpse, with your sword or otherwise!" She closed her eyes and sighed. "That being said, I hope what's been happening lately isn't a sign of things to come. All those murders, gas leaks…that doesn't sound good. We had all those killings ten years ago by that nutjob."

"Yeah, Rin mentioned him," Harry said. "The Master of Caster. They later identified him as Ryuunosuke Uryu."

"Well, that was a scary time, and I didn't even know half of that stuff was caused by Magi doing their thing for a magical cup," Taiga said. "I didn't even realise that shrimp Waver was one, and that big burly guy was Alexander the Great! I would've asked him for an autograph, otherwise. I hope it's not happening again."

"If it is, it's way too soon. It's meant to happen every sixty years, not ten. And Zelretch hasn't said anything yet. Neither has Waver. Then again, Zelretch would probably not tell me just for shits and giggles, and Waver's probably busy. If there is a Grail War, Rin's sure to be a Master, given that she's the only Tohsaka…"

* * *

Mordred's identity was actually a secret, even to Harry's friends here, save for Sakura. Oh, Shirou and Rin knew that 'Art' was not her real name, and that she was more than what she seemed, but made up their own conclusions. Rin guessed correctly (albeit for the wrong reasons) that 'Art' was a Homunculus Harry had obtained in Britain. Shirou had an impression that 'Art' was part of some secret knightly order.

Sakura, however, had learned of Mordred's identity when Mordred spoke to her, having the closest thing the tomboyish knight could have to girl talk. It was after the incident with Shinji, and Harry was concerned for Sakura. They'd even learned about her Uncle Kariya being the Master of Berserker. Mordred may not have had as shitty a childhood as Sakura (and they were yet to realise how shitty it really was), but she could be there for the shy, introverted girl.

Harry, Mordred and Taiga used Apparition, courtesy of Harry, to get most of the way there, with a Bounded Field set up by Kiritsugu preventing Apparition directly into the Emiya Household. They appeared with a muted whipcrack-like noise, just in time for them to be in an alleyway near Shirou, who leapt into the air at the noise. "Whoa!" he yelped, hurrying over. "Hey, you guys…you scared me!"

"Sorry, Shirou," Harry said, as he and his mother, along with Mordred, hurried over and joined him.

"So, what's on the menu tonight?" Mordred asked.

"I think Sakura's already made a start on it," Shirou said. "Seriously, though, I dunno how you can pack away that much."

"And as I keep telling you, I got my metabolism from my father," Mordred said. "Anyway, I'm a growing girl."

She was. While she remained relatively understated in the bust area, she had filled out a little more in the years since Harry found her, not to mention growing a little in height. Then again, most of her appetite was due to her oversized magic core: while she couldn't use most magic, she had enough to use for Reinforcement, the Mana Burst, as well as swapping in her sword Clarent and her armour Secret of Pedigree. She may not have been at the level of a Heroic Spirit, but she could break human limits and approach that level if need be.

They walked down the street in silence, only for the quartet to pause when they saw someone in the road approaching them. To Shirou, Taiga and Mordred, she seemed merely like an oddity. A girl of perhaps 12 at most, dressed in heavy winter clothing, with an ushanka on top. Her hair was as pale as her skin, and her eyes an eerie ruby red. She could have been an albino.

But Harry had this bad feeling. He knew albino looks were the hallmarks of Homunculi created by the von Einzberns. And that smile didn't bode well.

As she passed them, Taiga said, "You know, it's a bit late for a kid your age to be wandering around alone."

The girl seemed nonplussed briefly, before she passed them. She called out from behind them, "You know, big brother, if you don't summon it soon, you'll come to a sticky end."

The four of them whirled, but the girl had somehow vanished. "…That was ominous," Harry said, with considerable understatement.

"What did she mean by that?" Shirou asked.

"…It means, Shirou, that we'll need to make some phone calls when we get to your place," Harry said grimly. "Because we're in very big trouble. The Fifth Holy Grail War has begun…and it seems that the von Einzberns have an axe to grind against you…"

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Mordred and Harry, of all people, are together. We'll be alluding to events that happened earlier in their relationship, with maybe an occasional flashback. However, this version of events will be largely based on the** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **route, albeit with Shirou shacking up with Sakura rather than Rin, as they already have a relationship going. In fact, the first half of the events will be broadly similar…but once we get to the second half of the series, well, things will start to be derailed.**

 **1\. This was based on Taiga's boast in** ** _The Bae Cometh_** **, Episode 1 (but not the first episode) of Project Mouthwash's** ** _Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Abridged_** **. It sounds exactly like the sort of thing Taiga would say when drunk.**


	3. Chapter 2: Eye of the Taiga

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **EYE OF THE TAIGA**

Taiga Fujimura could not be said to be stupid. Ditzy, scatterbrained and impulsive, but not stupid. One couldn't be stupid and become an English teacher in Japan. Well, unless you were like her and had friends in high or low places…or a grandfather in charge of the local Yakuza gang. Then again, Taiga had very little involvement with her grandfather's organisation, and preferred to earn her way.

The only time she asked for her grandfather's help was in important matters that, while unrelated to criminal doings, sometimes needed some smoothing over. Like when it came to adopting Harry. That admittedly had been an impulse she followed when she found him on the streets. He'd run away from his relatives, who had been killed when their hotel burned down during the Fuyuki Fire. She didn't raise him full-time until after she graduated high school, and even then needed babysitters for the times when she did her English teaching degree. Well, babysitter, anyway. Until he died, as long as he wasn't on one of those trips overseas he did, Kiritsugu generally babysat Harry willingly. Plus, he was the one who helped her learn English in the first place.

It was only shortly before Kiritsugu died that Taiga learned the truth about Harry, Kiritsugu and Shirou: that they could use magic, that magic actually existed in this world. Of course, Kiritsugu never admitted he was infamous as the Magus Killer. That was something Taiga only learned much later.

That being said, she loved Harry with all her heart. When she first met him, she knew she couldn't bear to leave him on the streets. Discreet enquiries had been made about his family, aside from the relatives who perished in the Fuyuki Fire. His parents were apparently dead, and he had been left with his maternal aunt. His closest remaining relative was the sister of his uncle, a rather unpleasant bitch by the name of Marjorie Dursley, who had sneered at taking in the child. And Taiga, despite her ditziness, recognised signs of abuse on Harry.

Anyway, Taiga was surprised when some pompous POS from the Japanese Ministry of Magic turned up. Her adopted son was a wizard, and famous for surviving an instant death curse nobody else had. Then, a couple of old geezers turned up. One was some Merlin-wannabe with a beard called Dumbledore, and didn't she whack him over the head with the Tiger Shinai when she learned he was responsible for leaving Harry with those bastards? The other turned out to be a vampire, or Dead Apostle, or whatever the hell they called them, by the name of Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. Oddly enough, Taiga liked him more than Dumbledore, though to give the old goat credit, Dumbledore didn't think the Dursleys would be abusive. However, Dumbledore did agree that he would not pressure Harry to attend Hogwarts.

Though that stupid Tri-Wizard Tournament threw a spanner into that particular works. Harry went as Clock Tower's representative, though, albeit on Zelretch's request: Harry liked Magi less than wizards, but he liked Zelretch, and liked to prank them.

Taiga had joked about Harry looking out for hussies looking to sink their claws into him because of his fame in Britain. To her surprise, he actually came back to Japan with a girl in tow…only, said girl was Mordred Pendragon, of all people! Then again, by this point, she had heard about the Holy Grail War, thanks to an offhand comment by Zelretch while they were discussing the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Taiga had grilled the vampire, and learned, to her astonishment and horror and, well, even delight, that Fuyuki had seen the presence of heroes from myth and history. She remembered meeting Waver (and apparently the weedy little brat was some magical lord now, Lord El-Melloi II, if she recalled correctly) and that big burly guy whom, she learned later, was actually Alexander the Great. She had met one of the most famous figures from history and didn't even know it. And now, she'd met another. Hell, she was living under the same roof.

Mordred was nothing like you expected from the infamous knight who rebelled against Arthur. Gender aside (and Taiga knew why she was so touchy: after the fall of the various Celtic tribes, warrior women went into a decline in Britain, and concealing her gender was probably wise to avoid censure, or worse), she didn't seem malicious. If anything, she seemed like a child starved of affection and affirmation and, most importantly, acceptance. Morgan le Fay used her as a living weapon, and Arthur was a cold, distant and aloof figure, inhuman in many regards.

Mordred certainly had a hot temper one might have expected from her legend, but she was surprisingly compassionate too. And certainly passionate. At times, she'd caught them making out, and even saw them start at times. Mordred was certainly the initiator of such things. Taiga just hoped she wasn't going to be a grandmother yet.

Still, hearing Harry and Mordred explain the Holy Grail War, in brief, to Shirou was disturbing. Supposedly, just under two centuries ago, three Magus families collaborated to create a specialised ritual, designed to recreate one of the True Magics. The von Einzberns of Germany, the Makiris of Russia, and the Tohsakas of Japan wanted to find a way to reach the Root, aka Akasha, and also bring back the Third True Magic, Heaven's Feel. Taiga didn't quite understand the explanation Zelretch gave her, despite him being one of those who collaborated with those three families.

Anyway, given that the three families were still somewhat wary of sharing, a system was proposed to fight in a tournament to determine who was most worthy of gaining the Grail. She personally thought that the Magi just wanted to do cool shit in the process, because why else would you have a system where long-dead heroes from myth and history were brought back as familiars to fight? Anyway, apparently, once six of the seven Servants fell in battle, the Grail would grant any wish the victorious Servant and their Master desired.

Now, while Taiga would love something like any wish, she also was a bit wary. She'd read stories where wishes could be perverted into something bad. Not to mention that killing the Masters, who anchored the Servants to the world with their magic, was an unspoken rule, though Masters who'd lost their Servants could apparently take sanctuary in a church.

And there was, of course, the collateral damage. Most people in the know believed that the Fuyuki Fire was caused by something going wrong with the Grail, though as there were no known eyewitnesses to it (that were still alive, anyway), nobody knew why. The only person who could have shed light on the matter was Kiritsugu himself, and he died five years ago. Apparently he was the Master of a Saber Servant. In fact, his Servant was none other than King Arthur. Who, apparently, was a woman, like Mordred. It was Waver who told them this. Taiga wasn't sure she wanted to know exactly how Mordred was conceived, or indeed any of Arthur's children.

She watched as Shirou absorbed this, while Sakura bustled about, quietly, not quite meeting anyone's eyes. "…This is heavy," Shirou said, with considerable understatement.

"Scared?" Mordred asked in a mocking tone, before her emerald eyes narrowed sharply. "You should be. I fought alongside and against the sort of people who'd become Heroic Spirits. Even without the boost the summoning and new body gives to Servants, many are beyond human limits today."

Oddly enough, her proclamation wasn't hampered by her apparel. Mordred, when dressing casually, favoured a small tube top and daisy duke jean shorts that only served to show off more of her figure than Taiga liked. Her main concession to modesty was a leather jacket over this. Even in winter, she preferred dressing like this. Actually, she wouldn't have looked out of place in Raiga's yakuza gang, Taiga reckoned, though the one time one of her grandfather's men tried to get fresh with Mordred…well, Raiga refused to pay the man's hospital bill.

"Waver told me of some of the Heroic Spirits in the last Grail War," Harry said. "He had Alexander the Great, aka Iskandar, as Rider. Your father apparently had King Arthur, or Arturia Pendragon as Saber. Waver's teacher and the Lord El-Melloi before him, Kayneth Archibald, had Diarmuid of the Love Spot as a Lancer. And apparently Tokiomi Tohsaka had Gilgamesh of Uruk as an Archer."

"…I know of King Arthur and Alexander the Great, but not the other two," Shirou said. "I mean, I've heard of Gilgamesh from the _Final Fantasy_ games, but I'm guessing he's different."

"Diarmuid was an Irish hero," Taiga said, having read up on this. Indeed, she'd been doing some reading of famous myths and legends. "He famously had an affair with the wife of his liege lord, though to be fair to him, she had put a geas on him to run away with him. She'd been infatuated by his looks, including a love spot. Anyway, afterwards, his liege lord supposedly forgave him, but deliberately allowed him to die after Diarmuid was gored by a boar. As for Gilgamesh, many scholars believe his story to be the first ever story recorded by mankind, or at least the oldest surviving. He was a hero and king of Babylon, though he wasn't a particularly nice sort. Well, save to his friend, the beastman Enkidu."

"My Uncle Kariya summoned Berserker," Sakura said quietly, her admission sounding painful.

"I hope it doesn't choose you," Harry said, looking at Sakura. The gentle and shy girl didn't have it in her to be a fighter. She could endure, but she couldn't fight. The problem was, the Matou line were pumping out the Magi equivalent of Squibs, and apparently, the only ones with any magical ability were Sakura and her grandfather, though there may be others. Apparently the Grail invariably chose Masters from the three Founding Families…and Taiga was horrified at the thought that teenaged children might be chosen to participate.

Until a horrifying thought occurred to her. "…Harry, that girl…you said she was the von Einzbern Master, right? Did they really send a little girl to fight?"

"Maybe," Harry said, "but that's the scary thing. Homunculi have weird growth patterns. She could be an adult for all we know, and adult-looking Homunculi could be only a few years, even months, old. Anyway, Homunculi are to magecraft what a genetically-engineered human would be to science. If she is a Master, she probably has a lot of magic circuits. So just because she's a shrimp doesn't mean she's not dangerous. Plus…well, according to Waver, apparently Kiritsugu Emiya worked for the von Einzberns during the last Grail War. They probably took his failure personally, as I think that girl's warning was also a threat. Magi are petty, and stuff like the Grail War are used to settle old disputes."

"…She wants to kill Shirou?" Taiga said with a flat, dangerous tone. Most of the time, when Taiga got angry, she got loud and boisterous. But when she truly got angry, she got quiet.

"Maybe," Harry said. "But she's not the only problem. If the Holy Grail War really is happening earlier than anyone thought…then that puts recent events into a scary context. Remember, there have been recent killings with either a spear or a sword, meaning a Saber or a Lancer, or even an Assassin. In addition, those gas leaks…they could be magecraft. Magecraft that saps a person's essence to fuel a Servant."

Shirou frowned. "I thought those gas leaks seemed to be happening too often. But…I don't even want the Grail. I don't even know how to summon a Heroic Spirit!"

"And I don't want you getting drawn into this, Shirou!" Taiga snapped. "Kids shouldn't be fighting a damn war! It was hard enough watching Harry face down a _dragon_ of all things, going diving in an ice-cold lake, and then he got _kidnapped!_ All in one tournament! Ugh, that snake-faced bastard should be glad my Harry got the drop on him, or else I would have made him wish for death once I was through with him!" Taiga frowned. "Actually, what happened to Voldemort, anyway?"

"…Well, let's just say that I'm glad that Zelretch made a Mystic Code like the ghost trap from _Ghostbusters_ and gave it to me shortly before the Third Task," Harry said(1).

Mordred snorted in amusement. "Apparently the damned vampire is torturing Voldemort's shade with cheesy children's songs whenever he ain't experimenting upon him and the Horcruxes. According to Zelretch, Voldemort is actually begging for death. Quite a change from a guy who was afraid of death. Anyway, Shirou, if you and/or Sakura get roped into this, we'll do what we can to protect you."

"Thanks, Art," Shirou said quietly. "What if you or Harry get chosen by the Grail?"

"Oi, we're friends," Mordred said sharply. "Even if it's an unspoken rule for Masters to off each other, I wouldn't do that. Besides, Taiga'd never forgive me. Not to mention the both of you are as good cooks as Harry here. One thing you never did back home was go for the cooks…"

* * *

The discussion, thankfully, went into less heavy subject matter, and after dinner was finished, they intended to head back home. Sakura accepted the offer of being Apparated to close to the Matou manor, given how late it was. However, tomorrow morning, Harry was going to cook for his mother and Mordred, while Sakura and Shirou would have their own breakfast at Shirou's place.

When Harry used Apparition to bring them back to their home, a young woman in a white jumper and a long skirt leapt into the air at the noise. "Harry! Don't do that!" snapped the woman.

"Sorry, Arc. Actually, what are you doing in Fuyuki?"

"Grandfather sent me. I was in Japan for other reasons, but he decided to have me act as a courier," the young woman said, rubbing at her head.

Taiga knew this young woman was actually far older than she looked. Blonde hair framed beautiful, regal but gentle features, with only her crimson eyes and slitted pupils betraying her true inhuman nature. Arcueid Brunestud, the White Princess of the True Ancestors. Or, with less of the Magi's weird names, she was basically a centuries-old super-vampire, one of those descended, so to speak, from the original vampire, Type Moon, aka Crimson Moon Brunestud. Though unlike many vampires, Arc not only didn't drink blood, but wasn't a misanthrope. A few vampires were like that, like Zelretch, or Merem Solomon. They were helpful to people. Others, though, were every bit as monstrous as the vampires of myth and legend.

"And when was he going to tell me that the Holy Grail War was about to happen?" Harry asked.

"Hey, you try telling him to do something. Don't forget, when he was at his prime, he managed to defeat my forefather. Besides, I didn't know until I saw Grandfather at Clock Tower. Anyway, he said, even if you don't get a Servant, these might help if you get caught up in the crossfire." She handed a box over to Harry.

"What are they?"

"Rings. They give you some basic protection, like a form of permanent Reinforcement combined with protection from some magical attacks. Not only that, but apparently, Mordred's can use her latent magic and yours to boost her power to that approaching a Heroic Spirit's. Not as strong as a Heroic Spirit, of course, but not far from it."

"…What's the catch?" Harry asked, and Taiga understood his suspicion. Zelretch had a habit of being a prankster.

"If there is one, he didn't tell me. Anyway, do you mind if I stay here for the night? I don't intend to stick around for the Grail War to get going, but I thought I'd say hello to the others."

Taiga nodded. "Sure. You're always welcome, Arc, unless you decide to act like something out of a horror movie."

"Believe me, Miss Fujimura, be glad you don't see me at work," Arc said ominously. "There's a rather irritating Dead Apostle in the next town over who seems to think he is Nero Chaos reborn. Between that and the Grail War, Clock Tower's agents here, to say nothing of the Church, are going to be busy…"

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Arc's got it in one. Seriously, why haven't we got a Harry/Arc story out there? Plus, foreshadowing.**

 **1\. I did pretty much the same thing for my** ** _Portal_** **crossover** ** _Is Your Great-Aunt an AI?!_**


	4. Chapter 3: Archer, Lancer, Saber

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **ARCHER, LANCER, SABER**

It wasn't until a couple of days later that things came to a head, with Arc going on her way peacefully. As they walked to school that morning with Taiga, Harry and Mordred suddenly froze as they entered the school grounds. To Mordred, it felt uncomfortably like some of the magecraft her mother used. Not the same signature or even malice, just that sense of _wrongness_.

Taiga noticed her wards halting, and turned to face them, a question on her lips, but Harry shook his head. They waited until they could get into an empty room in private before Taiga asked, "What's wrong?"

"A Bounded Field," Harry said grimly, and Mordred nodded her head in agreement. "A nasty one, too."

"Okay…so, a Bounded Field is like a field of magic," Taiga said, trying to recall her rudimentary knowledge of magecraft. "You can use it to detect stuff, protect stuff, conceal stuff…or do some nasty stuff within the area, right?"

"Right, and if the Grail War is happening, it might be something related to that," Mordred said. "I ain't a Magus, and Harry probably wouldn't be able to tell what it is without finding where the sigil is, but I can tell you this much: this ain't good. Though why you'd set up a Bounded Field this foul over a school…"

"In any case," Harry said, "there's no way the other Magi here haven't noticed something. We'll talk to Rin later."

"Why Rin?" Taiga asked.

"One, she's the Second Owner of Fuyuki, its magical caretaker. Second, I just know she'd get involved in the Grail War. Third, there's a slim chance she may have done this. I hope not, I get the feeling that Rin is less amoral than many Magi…but I have been wrong before," Harry concluded darkly...

* * *

Mordred's feelings for Harry were…well, they used to be complicated. In truth, she actually found them simple these days. She had to admit, she actually loved the scrawny wizard. She hadn't always felt that way, and to tell the truth, she found him irritating at first, especially considering he refused point blank to call her anything but a girl. But she got used to that, partly because he had accepted that she could be a warrior, a knight, and be a woman. Many in her time were not so kind. Her attitude, then, wasn't anything like what they called transsexuality these days, rather more of a psychological camouflage combined with a strong tomboyishness.

If anything, his uneasiness around her probably had more foundation in that she was infamous in this time as a traitor to her father than the fact that she was a girl who preferred to think of herself as a boy. Not that they understood. They didn't know her, what Arthur was truly like, that cold, distant king who had refused her any true acknowledgement, beyond her skills as a warrior. And even as Mordred died, run through with Rhongomyniad, Arthur would not comfort Mordred, turning away. And the thing was, Mordred both loved and despised Arthur. And Arthur's words, of not actually hating her, merely considering her unworthy to be king, both pierced her as much as Rhongomyniad, and yet…it felt like an abject apology, even if it was delivered in her father's usual cold tones. But all she wanted was to be embraced by her father, accepted, loved…and she never got that.

But Harry accepted her. All her life, she wanted true acceptance, and after some time, Harry gave it to her. So did Taiga. So did Sakura when she learned Mordred's true identity. An acceptance she never had in her original life.

Okay, so this era was pretty boring. Not enough fighting, and certainly not with swords. Guns were pretty cool, but there was something about using a sword that appealed to Mordred. And frankly, school was boring for the most part. Frankly, the Grail War would be a wonderful alleviation to her tedium, if it weren't for the fact that her friends would get involved.

And she would never be a housewife. Even in this modern era, women were still treated as inferiors. Not as much as they were in her time, but still, it was very much a patriarchal society. No, she needed to find a career that she could hold her head up high in. Maybe bodyguard work? Or maybe she could join the yakuza group of Taiga's gramps. His group was certainly one of the more honourable ones, and she'd willingly kill their rivals. Or maybe something else. Mercenary work, maybe? Working for Clock Tower as a freelance Enforcer? Harry was certainly thinking along similar lines. She reckoned that, given his tuition under Zelretch and his friendship with Arc, not to mention training under his mother and, of course, Mordred herself, meant he could take on quite a few dangerous Magi, not to mention Dead Apostles.

Still, if there was one regret that she had for this Grail War, it's that she would probably not participate as a Master. True, she had a few wishes…but the main one, to be granted the right to draw Caliburn from the stone, meant leaving behind this era, and if she couldn't take Harry back in the process, then it was not worth it. Sadly, the odds were against her father being summoned once more, otherwise, she'd confront her father with sword and tongue.

During lunch, they indicated for Rin to meet them on the roof. Mordred looked on as Harry and Rin faced each other down. Harry looked down at her hand, and Mordred's gaze followed his own. Three red marks, one smudged, like a tattoo. Command Seals. The mark of a Master, each giving them an ability to command a Servant absolutely, though the command had to be somewhat well-worded to be effective. "So, you're a Master already, Rin," Harry said, crossing his arms. "And you had to use a Command Seal already?"

After a moment, the dark-haired girl admitted, "I lost my temper with my Servant. Then again, I should've known an Archer would have an independent streak."

Mordred snorted. "You're usually so composed, Little Miss Tsundere."

"Like you can talk, Artemis!" Rin snapped.

"So? At least I'm proud of it," Mordred retorted. "Anyway, you have anything you want to tell us?"

Rin looked at them both suspiciously, before going over to first Harry, and then Mordred, checking their hands for Command Seals, before nodding. "Right…I'm guessing this is about the Bounded Field we felt."

"Yeah. It doesn't feel good, whatever it is. Either we've got a particularly ruthless Magus setting something nasty up, or it could be a Servant's Noble Phantasm," Harry said. "Either way, the people here are in danger. And while neither of us are Masters, we don't want to see any bystanders killed. So, what's the plan?"

"I'm going to stay here until it's night, and try to remove the focus or foci of the Bounded Field," Rin said. "If you two are willing to help, that's fine. As long as you two aren't Masters, I'm glad for it."

"There's more," Mordred said. "Taiga, Shirou and Sakura were discussing what happened. Now that we know the Grail War's gonna happen again, we think the killings and the 'gas leaks' are linked to it. The killings may have been done by a Saber, a Lancer, or an Assassin. The 'gas leaks' may be a Caster or else a Magus."

"…I'd considered that," Rin admitted, "but I decided not to investigate until I had a Servant for protection, just in case. As it happens, you can strike a Saber Servant off the list for the killings. Kotomine told me Saber hasn't been summoned yet. Lancer might be more likely, in my opinion. Assassins would be used for scouts, and they wouldn't be detected thanks to Presence Concealment. It may be that the people killed were witnesses."

"Meaning Lancer's Master is particularly ruthless," Harry mused. "Great. Technically, you're meant to erase their memories, and killing them is a last resort." He looked over at Rin. "Right, we'll help you if we can…"

* * *

Taiga went home to get some dinner out, with Harry and Mordred getting a pizza before coming back to the school. With Rin, they began finding sigils throughout the school, the most ominous one on the roof. "I haven't seen writing like this before," Rin said. "What about you two?"

"All Greek to me, except it doesn't really look Greek," Harry said. Mordred nodded in agreement. She couldn't decipher what caused it.

Rin frowned. "…Actually, there's a few bits here and there that look almost like some Minoan lettering, from the same region, so you might be closer than you think. Still, this is bad. Now that I've come to examine it, while I can't decipher the text, the sigil's purpose is easy enough to decipher."

Harry nodded. "Converting the people here into raw mana, presumably as fuel for a Servant."

"Disgusting," Mordred said. 'If I were a Servant, I would avoid causing harm to subjects…I mean, civilians."

Rin noticed the slip-up, her lips pursing thoughtfully. "…You know, for some reason, Archer thinks you look familiar. I don't know why. Anyway, we should get to erasing this as soon as possible."

"Now, why would you go and do something like that?" drawled a voice from nearby, having a faint Irish lilt to it. The trio whirled to find a figure perched on the watertank, crouched down. He was dressed in what looked like a blue spandex bodysuit, and had a red, phallic spear over his shoulders. His hair was blue and pulled back in a ponytail, his eyes red and filled with mirth, set in a roguishly handsome face.

"A Lancer? Are you the one responsible for this?" Mordred snarled. "Or the deaths around town?"

"I'm not responsible for the sigil, girlie," the man said, not noticing or caring about Mordred's furious expression from the anger welling up within. "Dirty tricks are Magi's thing. The deaths though…well, my Master is a coward and, frankly, a bastard. And Command Seals are a bitch. Then again, a boy and two girls playing junior detective are not exactly…whoa!"

That last bit was in response to Mordred summoning Clarent, and rushing at him, using Reinforcement and Mana Burst to leap at him on the watertower, bringing Clarent down in a furious slash with a roar. Then again, he had called her 'girlie', a bit of a no-no. Lancer didn't bother dodging. Instead, he blocked Clarent with his spear, his eyes wide in surprise…and a little excitement. He kicked away Mordred, who summoned her armour, sans helmet, as she landed on her feet. "…Okay, what?"

"I agree… _what_ ," Rin said flatly.

"Underestimating me because of my looks will be your final mistake, Lancer," Mordred snarled. While her kneejerk reaction to being called a girl or woman had lessened over the years, she still got angry when people looked down on her like Lancer did, especially for her gender.

"A Saber? No, it can't be…" Lancer said, before frowning. "I know there's a Servant here, but it's not you. But that armour…that sword…" His mouth split into a vicious grin. "Well, girlie, you care to dance?"

"Art! Rin! Hold on to me!" Rin and Mordred dashed over and grabbed hold of Harry, before he Apparated, heading down to the sport's field for now. Lancer soon followed, plunging down, his spear ready to impale Mordred, who merely sneered, and turned the blow aside with Clarent, though she grimaced.

"Dammit!" she snarled quietly, shaking her gauntleted hand. The sheer impact had caused her hand to go numb from the vibrations. "Still not up to facing a Servant!"

"Allow me," said a low, weary voice, as a new figure appeared. Tall, dressed in dark armour and trousers, with a red jacket or mantle over the top. His skin was tanned, his hair white, his eyes a metallic grey, like steel rather than silver.

"You must be Archer," Mordred said.

Archer looked her up and down, his gaze piercing into her very soul. But when he looked at her sword, at Clarent, his eyes widened briefly. In recognition. And then, he looked at her. "…Her child…impossible…"

And that sent a chill down her spine. Had he recognised her somehow? Was Archer someone from her time? She didn't recognise him, though.

"Oi, Archer, is it?" Lancer asked, looking impatient. "Are you going to fight me or what?"

"As you wish," Archer said, before he Projected an elaborate curved sabre. "Stand well back."

Mordred took his advice reluctantly. As much as she wanted to run Lancer through for his insolence, she'd be in the way here, and she'd be better off protecting Harry and Rin. So she went over, keeping the armour on, along with Clarent.

Rin, obviously, went straight for the jugular. "What is that armour and that sword?" Rin hissed. "I knew you could use Reinforcement and Mana Burst…but what is…?"

"They say a good magician never reveals their tricks, and a good Magus doubly so," Mordred snarked. "The armour is a keepsake from my mother. That's all I'm telling you. Now shut up and enjoy the show."

And what a show it was. Lancer and Archer clashed, and she had to admit, she was loving the battle. They moved at speeds few dared dream of. She found it odd that Archer was quite a skilled swordfighter, especially as, when his sabres were shattered, he Projected more, even duel-wielding. Lancer was, to her delight, getting more and more frustrated at being bested by an Archer who was wielding a pair of sabres. However, she found her instincts jangling, and not thanks to the threat of Lancer. Someone was watching.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar mop of red hair. Shirou! "Harry," she hissed quietly, indicating Shirou with her eyes.

Harry and Rin followed her gaze, and blanched. Harry then said to Rin, "Art and I will get him home. Can you handle Mr Compensating for Something with Archer?"

Mordred snorted quietly to herself, despite the situation, at Harry's snark. And Rin even chuckled quietly. "I'll do my best."

Suddenly, like a loud gunshot, the sound of Shirou stepping on a twig echoed through the air, and Lancer whirled to see Shirou. "Who's that?!"

"Shit!" Harry yelled, and with Mordred clinging to him, he Apparated hurriedly over to Shirou. "Hold on!" Shirou needed no other incentive, and clung to him, just as Lancer charged…

* * *

…And then, they were elsewhere. Namely, back at Shirou's house. Harry, almost immediately, cast a Patronus. "Rin," he said, his wand at his throat. "If you're still okay, call me at Shirou's house. I presume you can use a payphone or something."

The ghostly stag trotted off, ready to deliver its message. "What the hell was that?" Shirou asked after some time had passed. "I mean, those two guys who were fighting!"

"Those," Mordred said, delighting in giving the redhaired boy a feral grin, "were Servants. Lancer and Archer, specifically."

"…The red guy was an Archer? But he was fighting using swords!"

Mordred scoffed. "And? He was also using Projection to make them. He could have been a really weird Caster too. Harry, I think Archer recognised me…well, he recognised Clarent. I think he knew who I was."

"That could be a problem. You don't have that great a reputation these days," Harry said, before wincing, realising he'd said too much in front of Shirou.

"What does he mean?" Shirou asked.

"Something we'll have to explain later, when we're sure we're not still in trouble," Mordred said with a scowl. "Lancer seems to be killing any witnesses, he didn't hesitate in attacking you when he realised you were there. If we're lucky, he'll give up and fuck off. Then again, he's probably a persistent dog."

Suddenly, the phone in the house trilled, and Harry hurried over to it, picking it up. "Hello, Emiya Residence…Rin, you're all right? Okay, got it. I appreciate the help. We'll try to hold him off until you get here. Thanks. Bye." He looked at them. "That was Rin, of course. Lancer decided to pursue us. He seemed to have a general idea of where we are, suggesting he can track us somehow."

"That's all we need!" Mordred snarled.

Suddenly, Shirou, who was sitting down in exhaustion, seemed to sense something, and rolled out of the way to avoid getting turned into a shish-kebab. Mordred sympathised: having been nearly killed by a spear herself at Camlann, she could understand his own reluctance. "Dammit, kid, you're not making this easy for me. Then again, I like a challenge. My Master wants the three of you dead. For the record, I'm not really liking this. The three of you are interesting for normal humans, and I hate what my Master's doing to me."

"Fuck you too," Mordred snarled, before swinging her sword at him, knowing she probably couldn't do anything more than distract him. As Clarent ground against the spear, she growled, "You do NOT harm subjects like that, dog!"

The insult struck closer to home than she intended, his red eyes narrowing. "A dog, you say? Do you know who I am then, girlie?"

The taunt very nearly stopped her from thinking about that, but then, her mind thought back to some of the legends she read of. She once, on Hermione's suggestion, reluctantly read stories of the myths and legends of the British Isles…and one in particular stood out.

"Cú Chulainn…the Hound of Chulainn," Mordred hissed in realisation.

"So, you've got a brain and not just a quick temper in that skull," Cú Chulainn retorted, before kicking out, sending Mordred sprawling, crashing through the doors. Harry and Shirou helped her up, and pulled her from the house, only for Shirou to be kicked viciously by Cú Chulainn, across the backyard and into the shed, and then knocking Harry and Mordred away. Shirou got to his feet, swaying, and Cú Chulainn sighed. "Kid…you're doing well. Maybe you were meant to be the seventh Master. But…I can't let you or your friends live. Sorry."

"…When I was young…the boy I was died in an accident," Shirou said, holding his ribs and grimacing. "I was saved by the most valiant act of heroism I could ever comprehend. I'm _never_ letting that feeling go. I'm _never_ letting it die! Even if my body dies, the image in my mind of that hero will live on! And as long as I'm here, _I will be the vessel that becomes that image, AND SAVE EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME(_ _1)_ _!_ "

Just as Cú Chulainn was about to attack, a flare of actinic light belched forth from the shed. Mordred had to look away, even as she got to her feet. But then, she saw HER. Standing there, in front of Shirou, an invisible weapon at the ready. Golden hair, emerald eyes, that stern, beautiful and hateful visage, the armour, but more than anything else, the bearing of a king.

Her eyes and Mordred's met, and only the slightest widening betrayed her surprise. However, Mordred gritted her teeth as years of familiar emotion welled up. Hatred. Anger. Envy. But oddly enough, there was a strange kind of joy, and even yearning. All those emotions came out in a strangled growl under her breath, of one word, composed of two syllables filled with so much emotion, even Atlas would've had a hard time bearing it. Only Harry heard it, out of everyone else here.

" ** _Father_** …"

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. The reunion has arrived!**

 **1\. This is mostly derived from Shirou's speech from Project Mouthwash's** ** _Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Abridged_** **. Once more, it comes from Episode 1,** ** _The Bae Cometh_** **. I actually prefer this speech to the canon one, especially as it intercuts with shots of Arturia in Camlann, so imagine that happening here, as it makes it more awesome and heartwarming, and might even bring a tear to your eye…**


	5. Chapter 4: Family Reunion

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **FAMILY REUNION**

Harry could tell that Mordred was distressed. And he heard what she said. _Father_. As in King Arthur. He remembered Waver telling him that King Arthur was a girl, something he didn't bring up with Mordred, but to see her beauty was another thing. In a way, she was a more refined, elegant version of Mordred, her hair done up in a severe bun, her expression equally severe, her armour blue and silver and elegant, her famous blade hidden by rippling currents of air.

"Servant Saber has answered your summons. I ask of you, are you my Master?" she asked Shirou.

Shirou looked to Harry and Mordred for help. Harry nodded, and Shirou said, "Yes, I am. Can you chase this guy away?"

"But of course. The pact is sealed. My blade is now sworn to you," King Arthur said, before she turned to face Lancer, her eyes flickering over to Harry and Mordred. "If you are my Master's allies, please attend to him." The words, rather perfunctory, were particularly addressed to Mordred, who growled.

"I don't need to be ordered to do so. And the Lancer is Cú Chulainn, by the way."

The Saber Servant nodded in acknowledgement and even gratitude, before lunging at the Lancer Servant. And Harry and Mordred rushed into the shed where Shirou kept his makeshift Workshop. Harry glanced around, and saw a magic circle, surrounded by boxes, and grimaced. "Already had a summoning circle here," Harry noted. "You've got Saber now."

"Saber? She's a Servant?" Suddenly, he looked over at Mordred. "…You look so much like her. What the actual hell is going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know!" Mordred snarled. "Why did you have to summon _that person_ , of all people?!" She looked out of the shed as her sire and Lancer clashed. "Still…the Hound of Chulainn's dead. He just doesn't know it yet." Despite her mixed feelings about her sire, Harry noted the vicious, feral grin she was showing.

After a few more clashes, the two Servants broke apart. "Dammit, stop hiding your weapon like a coward, Saber! Or am I wrong? What sort of weapon are you hiding? A sword?"

"It could be," the Saber Servant taunted. "Or perhaps an axe or a polearm, or perhaps I have been using a bow?"

"Now go away, before we taunt you a second time!" Harry yelled at Cú Chulainn. He then noticed a rather evil grin touch Mordred's lips, and knew what she was thinking: her sire, duct-taped down to a chair, watching _Monty Python and the Holy Grail(_ _1)_. He actually had that very notion himself, and he and Mordred chuckled in tandem.

King Arthur merely shot them an annoyed look, though Cú Chulainn laughed. "Well, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are…though you look pretty similar to the girly knight with the hot temper. I have to wonder about that. I'm guessing you come from the Age of Heroes, and yet, she doesn't feel like a Servant. Well, a mystery for another time, I guess." He shifted his stance, and his spear began to show a flickering, flame-like aura. "Brace yourself, Saber, for I will take your heart and your life. **_GÁE BOLG!_** "

The spear seemed to lance out into a wriggling spike of energy that his opponent deflected with her sword…only, reality seemed to _judder_ , and suddenly, the Saber Servant was being tossed into the air like she had been thrown from a horse, impaled by the energy spike. She crashed to the ground…but got to her feet, clutching at a wounded shoulder. "…Did a causality-rewriting attack just _miss?!_ " Cú Chulainn snarled in annoyance. "You're very lucky, Saber. Then again, so is your Master, and his friends."

As he turned to leave, Saber growled, "You flee from battle?"

"Not by choice. My Master told me that should I use my Noble Phantasm and fail to kill my foe, then I should retreat. Of course, you're welcome to pursue me, but that will only mean your demise." With that, Cú Chulainn left, leaping up onto the rooftops.

Harry and Shirou hurried out. Harry was filled with conflicting feelings, given how cold Arthur had been to Mordred's recollection, but he eventually touched her shoulder, and used as much healing magic as he could. She looked up at him, and nodded, getting to her feet. "I thank you. But why does my Master not do this?"

"Shirou's highly specialised when it comes to his magecraft. Rin calls him incompetent, but, well, he's better than you think. Unfortunately, healing magic is not something he can do. Anyway, introductions. I am Harry Fujimura. This is Shirou Emiya." He didn't fail to notice the sudden hardening in her eyes as she heard that name. He then indicated Mordred, who had dismissed her armour. "I believe you know who this is."

King Arthur frowned. "And what name do I call you?"

"Artemis Fujimura," Mordred said. "Don't use my real name. Someone smart enough might figure out who you are, otherwise."

The Saber Servant, after a moment's thought, nodded. "Very wise. You've grown. Though how are you in this era and not a Servant?"

"That effeminate cambion troll," Mordred scoffed. "I shouldn't complain, I got a second chance at life…and it seems a second chance at settling things with you."

"…Wait, you two know each other?" Shirou asked. "Are you sisters?"

"Relatives," Arthur said, a little brusquely, before she looked towards the road sharply. "Master…I sense another Servant approaching. I will go and deal with them."

"Saber," Harry said, getting the deceptively young blonde girl's attention. "They may be our friends. I rescued Shirou from Lancer, whom friends of ours were fighting."

Saber looked to Shirou, who nodded. "Very well, I shall stay my hand for now…"

* * *

Sure enough, it was Rin and Archer, the latter going to stand vigil on the roof. Shirou made them tea, as Harry called his mother and warned her he would be late, with an explanation to follow. Saber had dispelled her armour, revealing the dress beneath, and was kneeling serenely in the _seiza_ position. Mordred was shooting her sire glances of anger…and of longing, oddly. Harry knew why, given her history, and what Mordred explained.

Rin had spoken to Shirou, and found out he knew something about the Grail War already due to Harry's explanation. However, he decided he wanted more answers, and as Rin or Harry couldn't supply them, he accepted Rin's offer of going with him to see the Overseer. As the two left, Harry held back Saber. Quietly, he asked, "What do I call you if I didn't want to call you Saber? King Arthur? Or did you have another name?"

Saber seemed taken aback by his question, before she said, equally quietly, "Arturia Pendragon. I hope for my Master's sake that you have good mental protection, Harry Fujimura, to prevent other Masters from discerning my identity. But how did you come by my child?"

"The short version? Merlin left her in Hogwarts in suspended animation. What about you? I haven't seen you Astralize yet."

"…Let us say that I am a special case, and leave it at that," Arturia said, before her expression became…oddly furtive. "Shirou…do you know his character? Is he like his father?"

Harry frowned. Servants were not normally able to retain memory from previous Holy Grail Wars, as they were basically Xeroxed copies of the original hero from the Throne of Heroes. So Arturia reacting to Shirou's family name, and asking this question, shouldn't be possible. "…I never knew his father in the way you probably did. I never met the Magus Killer, only the tired, dying man left over. Shirou is a good person, if a bit too selfless for his own good. But he's also reckless. Keep him safe. I intend to, and so does Mordred, because we're friends with him…"

* * *

Harry had to stifle his laughter at the sight of the Once and Future King wearing a bright yellow raincoat over her armour, because she couldn't Astralize. Mordred was not even bothering stifling it, though she got it out of her system quickly. Arturia shot her a look that said, ' _I am not amused_ ', and Mordred shot her a look of her own and a grin, saying, ' _I'm fresh out of fucks to give_ '.

"What the hell were you doing at the school so late anyway, Shirou?" Harry asked as they walked through the city.

"Well…I saw some bruises on Sakura's hand, and I thought Shinji did it. Shinji denied it, and asked if I could clean the archery dojo as a favour," Shirou said, shamefacedly.

"…That selfless streak's going to get you killed one of these days," Mordred snarked. "It nearly did tonight. Anyway, why were you doing a favour for a waste of space like Shinji Matou? Just remember, Shirou, if you go and get yourself killed, you'll make Sakura cry. And I will dig up your corpse and shove your head so far up your own arse, the smell of your decaying bowels will bring you back to life!"

Rin blinked, and said, "That's…crude, even by your standards, Art. Though Archer's laughing his head off. He told me to tell you, ' _I'd pay good money to see that, though I doubt it's an effective way of achieving Heaven's Feel_ '."

"So…who is this Overseer anyway?" Shirou asked, trying to ignore the lurid threat.

"Theoretically, the Church acts as a neutral referee and arbitrator for the Holy Grail War, as Clock Tower needed an organisation that wouldn't be partial to any one party," Harry said.

"Oh, he would definitely be neutral," Rin said. "He's actually technically my guardian, Kirei Kotomine. But he's also a barely-tolerable pain in the rear. He may be ordained, but he's a genuine fake priest, a former Executor who got trained as a Magus. He knew my father, and was his student for a time. But given his attitude to me, you wouldn't know it. He's condescending and loves to push your buttons, though he can answer any of your questions."

"Executor?" Shirou asked.

"The Church's equivalent of Enforcers, going after rogue Magi and Dead Apostles," Harry said. "The Executors are part of the Church's Burial Agency. You don't want to mess with them…"

* * *

Rin and Shirou opted to go in alone when they reached the church, so finally, Harry, Mordred, and Arturia were left to their own devices. Arturia closed her eyes and sighed, contemplating what she had learned from Harry and Mordred about how Mordred survived. "…So Merlin retrieved your body from Camlann and healed you. He must have seen this day coming."

Mordred scoffed. "…I don't like being in debt to him of all people. But…I should be grateful. Without him, I would not have met Harry."

"And he treats you well?"

"Far better than you ever did, Father," Mordred said, her emerald eyes matching those of Arturia's. "He makes me _happy_. He does not care about whether I am a man or a woman. And while he knows I betrayed you, he understands why. He doesn't like it, but…he _accepts_ me. So tell me, 'Saber'…how does it feel for a king to be at the beck and call of another?"

Arturia's eyes narrowed. "Mind yourself, Mordred."

"Or what? You're gonna run me through again? Great parenting skills, Father."

"Mordred," Harry said softly. "Enough." He looked over at Arturia. "You have a lot to answer for where Mordred was concerned. You never realised what she wanted. It wasn't your throne, but your approval, your love. She told me how cold you were. Don't get me wrong, I still admire you. We both do. And frankly, it's an honour to meet my…well, father-in-law, for want of a better term. Though how that happened, I'm not sure. You know, the whole woman having a kid with another woman thing."

Arturia looked embarrassed, as well as annoyed. "Merlin turned me into a man temporarily, and Morgan seduced me during that time. And why should I answer to you where it comes to my child?"

"Because I love her. And she loves me. She is _my_ knight, Arturia. She may not be everyone's picture of an ideal woman or knight…but we're there for each other. Don't get me wrong…we're allies with you, and I hope to be friends with you too. Not just because Shirou's my friend, but I want to know who Arturia Pendragon truly is. Because I can't believe the Once and Future King was that cold in reality."

Mordred then stepped forward. "Father…in all the time we knew each other…we never embraced. Please…hold me, just once. Camelot is no longer. You told me at Camlann that you didn't hate me. For God's sake, _show me that is true!_ _ **Please!**_ "

Mordred's emerald eyes were glimmering with rare tears, tears that would move virtually anyone. For a moment, Harry feared that Arturia was an exception. She just stared back stonily, before she stepped forward and embraced Mordred. "…Mordred…I don't know whether I can forgive your trespasses against me…but I too have changed since our last meeting," Arturia said quietly, her own eyes moistening suspiciously. "I was in the Grail War prior to this one…and…it cost me so much, body, heart, and soul. I had every tenet I held dear shaken, disparaged, and demeaned. Perhaps our meeting at this time is fate, another failure to remind me. I…I…" Her voice caught in her throat, and then, she said, softly, breaking the embrace, "I fought Lancelot, Mordred. As a Berserker. He wanted nothing more than expiation, either falling by my hand, or felling me."

"…Lancelot, as a Berserker?" Mordred asked, softly but incredulously. "Didn't know the Knight of the Lake had it in him, to be a Berserker, or fight you. You kicked his arse, didn't you?"

"…Crude as always, Mordred," Arturia said, but in her reproachful tone was the faintest embers of affection. "…And it was a hard-won battle. A Pyrrhic victory. He lost his life…but I lost something more valuable."

"…Are you really my father? The one who sallied forth into battle and emerged victorious more often than not?" Mordred asked disbelievingly.

"Wounds to the heart and soul can be more devastating than those to the body," Arturia said softly. "I saw a brave and honourable man, Diarmuid, forced to commit suicide due to treachery…engineered by my own Master. I was forced to do nothing while Caster and his Master murdered children. Rider tore apart my ideals, claiming I was no king, but a fool of a girl. And Kiritsugu…" She gritted her teeth, closing her eyes. "I do not wish to speak of it. To him, I was but a tool, not even a knight doing the bidding of their Master. I admit, I have been detached and aloof…but I tried never to actively disparage my knights without just cause. Even you, with your disdain for chivalry, would have found Kiritsugu a trial as your Master, Mordred. I daresay you would have tried to lop his head off after some time, if he did not use a Command Seal."

"Probably, but I never met him. And Harry and Shirou never saw that side of him." Mordred met her sire's eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still pissed at you. But…I also still want you…to just acknowledge me. It's a moot point, saying I would've been king. Camelot's ruined, we're just legends whose existence is doubted by most people. To most, I'm one of the worst traitors to ever live, while you're the Once and Future King! We're just _stories_ now, Father! But…I want to be free of this hatred, this anger! So, once we get a moment, I am going to duel you. Can't exactly call it a friendly spar…but it's not gonna end the same way as Camlann."

"Sometimes, there's not enough vomit in the world(2)," Archer snarked, appearing in a cloud of blue light, his arms crossed.

"Were you eavesdropping, Spray-On Tan?" Mordred snarled.

"Eavesdropping suggests you wanted your little chat to remain private. Besides, I already know your identity, Mordred Pendragon," Archer said. "Clarent was pretty distinctive."

"Oh? And were you of our time?"

"Perish the thought. Even I'm not wholly sure what time I come from, though it was certainly not Britain during the time of Camelot," Archer said. "However, I have come across a number of Noble Phantasms."

"What do you mean, you don't know what time you came from?" Harry asked incredulously.

"My summoning went a bit awry," Archer said with a shrug. "Rin chose a suboptimal time to summon a Servant. My memories of my life got somewhat scrambled."

"I call bullshit," Mordred said. "You seemed to recognise me when we first met, Spray-On Tan. And frankly, you look kinda familiar to me too. So, let me give you some advice. I ain't gonna kill Rin unless she goes full psycho towards me. But when my father and you have to fight, I would gladly help my father ram Excalibur AND Clarent so far up your fake tanned arse, you'll be picking your teeth with the pointy ends. And you get that sooner if you hurt any of my friends."

"The Knight of Betrayal, having friends?" Archer scoffed, before fading in a cloud of mana. "Don't make me laugh…"

* * *

Not long afterwards, Shirou and Rin left the Church, with Harry seeing the tall figure of Kirei Kotomine, the dark-haired, sardonic priest saying, "Just remember, Shirou Emiya, that a Hero of Justice needs a villain to define himself. Rejoice, then, for your wish will come true!"

Shirou went over, and affirmed his pact with Arturia, who accepted it with a small smile. As they walked away from the Church, Rin remarked, "I guess we'll have to part ways soon. As you are now an official Master, we're enemies."

As Shirou protested, Harry crossed his arms. "Actually, you could go into alliance for now."

"And why is that?" Rin asked.

"Leaving aside the fact that, if you try to kill Shirou, I WILL come for you for killing my friend and hurting Sakura, there's a more pressing matter, Rin, or have you forgotten those sigils at the school?" Harry asked.

Rin, after a moment, clicked her tongue, conceding the point. "Fine…until we resolve who is responsible for that, we'll work together, for now."

Suddenly, the five of them (and probably Archer too) felt a chill run down their spines, and they whirled when they heard childish giggling behind them. There, standing behind them, radiating malice, was the albino girl from a few nights before. "Hello," the girl said, with a beautiful and yet unnerving smile, before curtseying. "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern. You know what that means, don't you, Rin Tohsaka? And it's nice to see you again, big brother. And the Boy Who Lived…a wizard with an overinflated reputation," Illyasviel said. "I have to admit, I never thought you'd be participating in the Holy Grail War."

Harry glared. "Shirou is my friend. You'll harm him over my dead body."

Illyasviel's smile widened a little. "Well, that can be arranged. Meet your executioner."

And then, out of the shadows coalesced a grotesque shape, like a stone statue come to life of a bestial throwback to humanity's ancestors. A wild man with tangled, matted hair, heavy features, wearing little more than a metallic kilt. Eyes gleaming with feral madness.

"Feel free to plan out your fight…or take a headstart to flee. Berserker will be your deaths, regardless…"

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Cliffhanger no jutsu!**

 **Now, was it OOC for Arturia to bare her heart, even to that degree, to Mordred and Harry when she didn't do so to Shirou? Maybe, but I think there's some sound logic for that. Seeing Mordred, alive and well and, despite the Grail War happening,** ** _not_** **a Servant shocked Arturia. Keep in mind, for poor Arturia, it's been mere moments since** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, and seeing Mordred so soon after having to deal with Lancelot (not to mention Gilgamesh wanting Arturia as his fucktoy and Kiritsugu's dick move with the Command Seals, on top of everything else, like the deaths of Diarmuid and Irisviel) has rattled her.**

 **In a perverse way, Mordred is one of the few people who could understand her pain. Mordred may have rebelled against Arturia, but Mordred also respected Arturia, and after Mordred pled with Arturia to just hold her for once, it got through the cracks in Arturia's armour. And that is partly why she confessed some of what happened to Mordred. Mordred probably understands Arturia more than anyone else present at the time.**

 **And Mordred listened. Now, most of you are wondering, why the hell didn't Mordred attack her 'father' on sight? A lot of you seemed to anticipate this in the reviews. Well, she's been living a new life for three years now, and given that she's had new friends, and a new perspective on her life, she's mellowed a little, especially where her father was concerned. Not that much: as she states to her father, she's still angry…but she still desires her father's approval and affection, and she can't get that if Arturia's dead. Her feelings are tangled and complicated, hence why she begged for her father to just hold her, for once. So, instead of basically fighting Arturia on sight, she's taking the situation into consideration. Plus, she's gonna troll her father a little…though there'll be more heartwarming moments between Arturia and Mordred than rancorous ones.**

 **This is also why Harry is disrespectful to Arturia, at least in comparison to my other Nasuverse crossovers. He's heard of Arturia's reign from Mordred's perspective, and while he's taken it with a pinch of salt, he knows there's more truth to it than others would believe. At the very least, he thinks Arturia was a shitty parent, not an abusive one, but a neglectful one. His sympathies are with Mordred, but by the same token, he knows Mordred loves her sire, and, combined with the glories of the Arthurian myth, believes that Arturia is still a good person, just a flawed one. He just wants to make it clear to Arturia that he doesn't like how she treated Mordred. Plus, he wanted to meet her since meeting Mordred anyway.**

 **Review-answering time!** **kyugan** **: …Did you just make a reference to Project Mouthwash's Abridged Series? If so, kudos!**

 **3697014** **: No. Potterverse characters will be restricted to references and cameos. The primary POV characters for this story are Harry, Mordred, and Taiga. We will have a few switches here and there, with one scene from Kirei's point of view, but otherwise, we'll be seeing the story mostly through this unholy trinity's eyes.**

 **1\. Arturia watches that very movie, courtesy of Zelretch being in an impish mood, in my one-shot** ** _Coconuts?!_** **Well,** ** _Coconuts?_** **, thanks to this website's annoying formatting…**

 **2\. In the episode** ** _Everything, Etc_** **of** ** _QI_** **, Clive Anderson's buzzer was a clip from the song** ** _(Everything I Do) I Do it For You_** **. Stephen Fry's response is what Archer said.**


	6. Chapter 5: Berserker

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **BERSERKER**

Rin quickly took command. Quietly, she said, "Archer…fire support. No collateral damage." After waiting a moment, presumably for Archer's response, before she turned to Arturia. "Saber…that thing's attributes are ridiculously high for a Berserker. Not just strength, but agility and endurance as well. Do you think you can handle him?"

"I do. Should I draw him to somewhere where your Archer can hit him?"

"Yes."

Arturia's eyes flicked down to a nearby park. Then, she said to Harry and Mordred, "And what of you?"

"Art, defend Shirou and Rin. I will deal with the girl," Harry said quietly. "I'll kill her only if necessary." Then, raising his voice, he said to Illyasviel, "But I'm definitely going to give you a damned good spanking."

"Oh? For whatever reason would that be?" the albino asked.

Harry held up a hand with three fingers. "One, you said I had an overinflated reputation. Okay, fair enough, the British wizards are a bunch of sheeple who like to put people on pedestals, but still…I'm a lot more competent than you think. Two, you threatened my friends with Mr Roid Rage Ronny there. And three…it's way past your bedtime, _little girl_."

"I'm shaking in my boots," Illyasviel snarked. "Berserker? Get 'em."

The noise that blasted from Berserker's mouth could not be considered remotely human, or even remotely animal. It was something primal, otherworldly, like the voice of a storm or a volcano or an earthquake. He leapt into the air, and Mordred roared, "SCATTER!" They dived out of the way, only for it to be a moot point, when a fusillade of enchanted arrows smacked into the beast. The ensuing explosion hurled him into the park, Arturia following.

Harry flung out a hand at Illyasviel. " _Get over here!_ " With a squawk, she was flying through the air from Harry's Summoning Charm. However, a pair of birds, seemingly outlined in white light, like wireframe models of birds on a computer image, appeared, and fired jets of light at Harry, forcing him to dodge. "And of course it wouldn't be so simple," he muttered.

"You're the best Homunculus the von Einzberns could send out?" Rin asked.

"Well, it must burn at you, Tohsaka, to know that a superior Magus to all the supposed genius of your bloodline _can be manufactured(_ _1)_ ," Illyasviel said as she got to her feet.

"And yet you're still a shrimp," Mordred taunted. "How old are you, anyway?"

This seemed to get Illyasviel annoyed, but before she could attack, Harry sent a couple of _Reductos_ at the birds, destroying them. "I'm your opponent, shrimp." He used Apparition to close the distance with Illyasviel, and grabbed her, while Rin, Shirou and Mordred headed over to support Arturia. "Now, listen to me. Call your attack dog off, or I'll find where your Command Seals are and cut that limb off. I don't want to do it, but if it's between that and killing you…"

Suddenly, his face exploded in pain as Illyasviel headbutted him. He swore as the Homunculus broke free. "You're going to have a lot of trouble with that," Illyasviel said, rubbing her head with a scowl. " _I have Command Seals throughout my body_. Still, I will admit…I underestimated you."

"Maybe…but by what right did the von Einzberns send someone your age here…or maybe you're older than you look."

Suddenly, there was a noise from the park, and Harry watched as a dome of energy seemed to crystallise around Berserker, forcing him downwards, before another set of arrows blasted into him, exploding. Berserker appeared from the cloud of smoke, looking distinctly unimpressed. "Okay, he doesn't have a scratch on him. I call hax," Harry snarked.

"…Hax?" Illyasviel asked, tilting her head in a manner that was humorously quizzical.

"Yeah, hax! As in, you hacked the Grail so you can win, noob!" Harry had learned this sort of thing from one of Taiga's relatives, who was a gamer. He thought saying this might bamboozle the Homunculus girl and thus give him an advantage, even if it was a slight one. He even pointed an aggressive finger at Illyasviel to complete the image.

The albino girl merely facepalmed. "…He's so dumbfounded by Heracles' power, his sanity broke," she muttered.

Heracles? That living walking embodiment of steroid poisoning was the famous Greek hero Heracles?! Harry looked back at the massive and monstrous mountain of muscle…and muttered, "Okay, Disney got yet another thing wrong about him. _Again_. I guess I shouldn't be surprised…"

* * *

Mordred grit her teeth as she watched her father trying to survive against Berserker. As strong as she was by human standards, she wasn't quite at the level to take on a Servant, let alone one as powerful as this Berserker was. And not just powerful. For all its bestial and savage nature, it was surprisingly agile, and her father was in trouble! That was the galling thing for the former Knight of Betrayal. She didn't want to see her father dead anymore, even by her own hand. And she was a warrior.

So she summoned her armour and Clarent, readying it. "SABER!" she roared, turning deliberately to face an area around the park that didn't have any houses, as far as she could tell. Even then, she'd have to hold back. Like her father's Excalibur, she could vary the power of the blast she could unleash from her Noble Phantasm.

Mordred was glad to see that her father understood swiftly, for she spared Mordred a brief nod. "Rin! I hope you have another restraining gem or whatever the hell that was!" Mordred snarled, as Clarent spouted an aura like blood-coloured flame.

"I've got one more to spare for now," Rin said.

"Art!" Harry yelled from where he was with the albino brat. "That thing is Heracles!"

Mordred gave a savage grin. The most famous Greek hero, one she had heard of in her old life? "Well, one Herculean Flambé comin' right up! NOW, SABER!"

Her father dashed in front of where Mordred was aiming, and Heracles followed, only to change course, and head for Mordred. Well, the canny beast had realised she might be a threat. Too late, though. Rin hurled another gem, and another dome of energy restrained the beast for a brief moment. It snarled in frustration.

"Shut up and _bleed_ , you motherfucker," Mordred snarled, before she roared, " ** _CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!_** "

She'd been holding back to avoid collateral damage, but she was sure that, even if this didn't kill the beast, it'd feel it, and maybe slow it down enough for her father to land a more decisive hit. The blast of crimson energy smashed into Heracles, sending the muscled monster skidding back. By the time the light cleared, Heracles was growling in pain, most of its skin gone, and chunks of its flesh gone. Smoke and steam rose from its body.

Her father needed no further prompting, dashing forward and running Heracles through with Excalibur, a brief pulse of golden light blasting through Heracles, splitting the beast's torso in twain, its mouth open in an imbecilic gape of surprise.

Mordred felt a thrill of triumphant elation, but tempering that was the exhaustion from the magic drain that came from using Clarent Blood Arthur. That, and an instinct born of years of experience on the battlefield. And judging by the look on her father's face, she felt something too, backing away. Then, the damned Homunculus brat began laughing, as if she knew the punchline to a nasty little joke… _and the joke was on them_.

"Rin…Shirou…get back," Mordred said as firmly as possible as the beast began to heal before her very eyes.

Her father said, "We need to lure it somewhere else, somewhere we can use our Noble Phantasms to their fullest. Rin, can Archer use stronger arrows?"

Rin frowned, before nodding. "If you can lure Heracles to a more isolated area, Archer says he can use something."

"Right! Come on!" Mordred was fatigued after using Clarent Blood Arthur, but she refused to back down. She followed her father.

However, she stopped and looked at Rin and Shirou. "Back Harry up, okay?" Then, she began running once more, knowing that Heracles would be on her tail…

* * *

Thankfully, Heracles went after Arturia and Mordred…well, thankfully because, while Mordred was no Heroic Spirit, she had broken human limits. Illyasviel, however, was staring at Mordred as she left. "…She used a Noble Phantasm…Blood Clarent Arthur…but…she's not a Servant, or else I would have known…but…but…" She whirled to face Harry, her eyes comically wide. "…How the actual hell can she use Mordred's Noble Phantasm?!" she yelped, the question odd coming from a child's lips. "No… _THAT IS REALLY MORDRED?!_ "

"And not even a Heroic Spirit. That, von Einzbern, is the real Mordred," Harry said coldly. "And she's my friend, along with Shirou and Rin. And you, you little brat, you just tried to have my friends killed. I take exception to that." He fired off a Stunner, which she dodged, only to be hit by the next one. However, she was merely sprawled to the ground, dazed, not actually knocked unconscious.

"I'm a von Einzbern Homunculus," Illyasviel sneered, even as she blinked away the effects of the spell. "We're resistant to wizarding magic as standard." She plucked a pair of hairs from her head, and they formed more wireframe birds at a gesture.

"Wait, stop!" Shirou yelled, placing himself between Harry and Illyasviel, having climbed back up from the park area. "Why are you doing this? Why did you call me big brother? You said that in a way like it meant something." After a moment, he asked, "Do you know me? Did you know…Father?"

Suddenly, Harry pulled Shirou away as the birds suddenly fired spells at the redhead, Illyasviel's expression filled with a cold and merciless fury. Apparating away with Shirou, Harry firing a Blasting Hex near Illyasviel, not to kill her, but to obscure where they were. Rin, who'd been taking cover, chose that moment to fire Gandr curses from her hand at the albino girl, and her constructs. One of the constructs was destroyed, but the other forced Rin to take cover. "Wait, stop! Please!" Shirou yelled at Illyasviel. "If you knew Father, please don't hurt the others because of what he did to you!"

"What he did to me…" Illyasviel said in a soft voice, before she snarled, "What he did to me was _abandon me for_ _ **you!**_ "

Harry used a Summoning Charm to pull Shirou away from the furious Homunculus, before he quick-fired more _Reductos_ at the construct. When it disappeared, he fired off an _Incarcerous_ , and the girl was wrapped up in ropes with a squawk. But her words got to Harry, and as she struggled on the ground, he walked over to her, and knelt down next to her, holding up a hand to stop Rin, who was charging up a rather vicious-looking Gandr curse. "…You called him big brother not just as a term of endearment…you're Kiritsugu Emiya's _daughter_ , aren't you?" he mused out loud. And judging by the way her eyes widened, he hit the mark.

"…She must've been only a toddler when he left. A kid her age made to fight…" Rin said, sounding disgusted when she realised the implications.

"No…Homunculus, remember? Or maybe half…" Harry said. "She might very well be our age."

"I have a sister?" Shirou asked quietly, walking over to Illyasviel. "…He never told me," he said quietly, and sadly, his golden eyes meeting the crimson orbs of his stepsister. "All this time, and he never told me…"

* * *

In a nearby graveyard, Mordred grimaced as she dodged a swing from that stone sword or whatever the fuck you called that _thing_ in Heracles' meaty paw. She was tiring, and she wasn't really fond of that feeling. The only consolation was that the only reason her father was doing any better was because she was a fucking Servant! Anyway, when was Archer going to get off his fake-tanned arse and do something?

Suddenly, a bright light burst overhead, a red one. She looked up, and saw, somehow, the English word ' **RUN** ' outlined in the sky in red light. Hopefully, Heracles couldn't read English, or anything, in his current state of Mad Enhancement.

With a snarl, she fled, her father alongside her. They dove into a nearby ditch just in time. A shockwave blasted over them, as if a small nuke had been set off. Once the wind died down, Mordred poked her head up out of the ditch, and saw the flames that had consumed the place. "I **_so_** want that, whatever that was," she said quietly with a shiver of pleasure, a feral grin on her face, before her eye was drawn to something that clattered to a halt near them. It was broken, but clearly once had been part of something beautiful, in familiar patterns of blue and gold.

"…Is that the hilt of a sword?" her father asked out loud.

"It kinda looks like the hilt of Excalibur or Caliburn," Mordred muttered, poking it, only for it to dissolve into blue particles. "That thing was Projected," she muttered. "Did Archer somehow copy a Noble Phantasm and turn it into a bloody _arrow?!_ "

"A bizarre technique…but an effective one. Only, that was neither Excalibur or Caliburn," her father said. "I believe it was a copy of the blade of Fergus mac Róich, Caladbolg, a predecessor to my own blades." She looked up suddenly, and scowled. "Mordred…"

Mordred followed her father's gaze, and swore. Heracles' colossal figure was standing tall amongst the flames, regenerating, but clearly not dead. "How many times have we gotta kill this fucker?!"

"Twelve, perhaps, one for each of his Labours," her father mused grimly. "Mordred…go back to the others."

"Like hell I will flee like a coward!"

"Listen! You're tiring, Mordred! I don't want to see you slain out of pride! Fatigue is the enemy!" her father snapped. "You may be strong, but you're still a human, not a Heroic Spirit!"

"And I ain't leaving you!" Mordred snarled. "We haven't settled things!"

* * *

"Please, Illyasviel…I don't want to fight my own sister," Shirou said quietly, picking up the bound Homunculus and hugging her. There had been an explosion in the distance, but he didn't care, Harry knew. Though he hoped Mordred and Arturia were okay.

Conflicting emotions warred on Illyasviel's face, before she said, in an indecipherable tone of voice, "Berserker…come to me…"

Suddenly, the hulking mountain of muscle was there, a low rumble emanating from his body. The warning rumble was enough for Shirou to let go of his stepsister, before the Heroic Spirit carefully and surprisingly delicately undid her bonds. "We're leaving," Illyasviel said quietly to Heracles.

He put her on her shoulder, and then charged away, the only sound being the massive crunching sounds of his footsteps. "…That just happened," Harry said quietly. "Rin, I'd better hope that Archer didn't kill Saber and Art in that explosion."

"…You mean King Arthur and Mordred," Rin said quietly. "That albino brat was screaming about Mordred, and 'Art' looks so much like Saber, so they are probably relatives. I know she's not a Heroic Spirit, so how the hell did you pick up Mordred in Britain?!"

"She was in Hogwarts."

"And why is Mordred a girl?!"

Suddenly, as if by magic, Mordred was right next to Rin, a deceptively comradely hand on her shoulder, though said hand was both gauntleted, and grabbing just hard enough to be uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, do you have something to say about that, my dear Rin?" Mordred said in a deceptively sweet tone that fooled nobody, with an equally deceptively sweet smile on her fatigued face. "Choose your next words with care. It's been a _very_ long night. I'm tired, and running on fumes and adrenaline, _and_ I've just been fighting fucking _Heracles_ , **_and_** was nearly at ground zero for an arrow-borne _nuke_ that your Archer seemed to have made from a _Noble Phantasm_. After being with me for so long, my being a _girl_ is what you're fixated on? _Shame on you, Rin_."

"…Mordred, please," Harry said quietly.

"Tch. Fine." Mordred took her hand off Rin's shoulder.

And then, possibly unwisely, Shirou asked, "But if King Arthur was a girl…how did she…?"

" _Merlin_ ," chorused Harry, Mordred, and a newly-arrived Arturia.

"Wait…" Shirou said. "…King Arthur was your father, right?"

"He is," Mordred said.

"…But wasn't Morgan le Fay your mother, and Arthur's sister?" Shirou asked.

"…She was," Arturia and Mordred chorused simultaneously, with resigned tones, knowing what was coming next.

"…Ugh, that's gross," Shirou groaned.

With an angered snarl, Mordred kicked part of the fence separating the park from the path. "You have NO FUCKING IDEA(2)!"

"It was not a willing coupling, Shirou," Arturia said. "Morgan seduced me in disguise while I was transformed into a male. I believe Mordred was a Homunculus based on the harvested semen."

"Too much information," groaned Shirou. "…Harry, can you just take us home?"

"Fine. Rin, you want me to Apparate you?"

"No. I'll have Archer escort me home. Don't worry, I should be fine. He's on his way as we speak..."

* * *

Harry Apparated Shirou and Arturia back to their home, though not before warning them that his mother would be probably around to want food and an explanation. Still, Harry and Mordred had identical smirks on their faces at the thought of the Once and Future King meeting the Tiger of Fuyuki. Even so, the first night of the Holy Grail War had been a trying one, with some rather startling revelations…and unfortunately, Mordred's identity blown out of the water.

Still, as they finally got into bed and spooned in their pyjamas, glad that Taiga decided to pack it in early, they'd managed to survive. And that was what mattered…

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, that just happened. It's interesting what a few differences in dialogue can achieve, and a bit of thinking. Plus, Mordred and Arturia working together. And Shirou being tactless. Next chapter: Moar Taiga! That being said, I'm taking a break from posting chapters for a day or two. Keep in mind, I do have up to Chapter 10 written, and a few of these are very long chapters, for me, many reaching about 3K words, including the battle at Ryuudou Temple. So there's a fairly substantial amount of story ready to be posted. I just want to let this story settle a bit, and allow more people to come to it.**

 **As for scaling down Clarent Blood Arthur…well, if Excalibur can vary the energy attack it uses, why not Clarent? Also, as she's not a Servant, Mordred can't use it up to the massive energy wave she does in** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **, though she can damage Heracles.**

 **Review-answering time! I'm glad most of you enjoyed Mordred and Arturia's reunion, and how it played out. While I could have had them duking it out, I decided it was better to have, if not a reconciliation, then the first steps towards it. Plus, I'm better at writing character interaction than fight scenes. Arturia and Mordred (or Moedred as OBSERVER01 dubbed her, apparently a common nickname in the Nasuverse fandom which I wholeheartedly approve of) have both been through somewhat life-changing experiences since their battle at Camlann.**

 **Mordred's enjoyed a relatively normal life with people who acknowledge her and even love her, allowing her to distance herself from her resentment and hatred for her father, even if those feelings haven't entirely abated, and what's more, with Arturia as Shirou's Servant, well, she doesn't want to rob Shirou of a good bodyguard. Arturia has also been through all that shit she went through in** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, and unlike canon** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **, where she has nobody familiar to confide in, here, she has Mordred, and while her own feelings for Mordred are complicated, Mordred is also probably the person who understands Arturia best out of everyone present. Plus, given what's happened, she's probably beginning to realise that she should try to reconcile with her child. Mordred and Arturia have another heart-to-heart about what happened during both Mordred's rebellion and** ** _Fate/Zero_** **in Chapter 7.**

 **I answered part of** **DalkonCledwin** **'s initial review in correspondence, but as to their complaint as to how Mordred could speak modern English, I'd like to say a wizard did it. Specifically, Merlin. However, he does not have the Elder Wand. He's got basically my standard wand for him when he's raised in Japan, with a cherry wood, though after he found Mordred, the core was eventually replaced with one of her hairs. Considering that she, like Arturia, is part-dragon, well…**

 **EmeraldGuardian7** **: This is a merged Potterverse/Nasuverse. Most Magi have heard of Harry, but they dismiss his reputation, quite rightly, as being blown out of all proportion by credulous wizards. For all their conservative nature and snobbery, I get the feeling that a key difference between Magi and Potterverse wizards is that they tend to be more** ** _rational_** **, or at least try to think more logically. This is, admittedly, not a hard and fast rule. Of course, it helps that Harry did get some tuition in magic from Zelretch, and given his education under Taiga with kendo, he's actually quite competent in combat. That being said, he's mostly self-taught when it comes to magic and magecraft (Dumbledore, after learning Harry didn't want to come to Hogwarts and noting the absence of the Horcrux, which was burned away in the Fuyuki Fire, left Harry a number of spellbooks, as Harry wasn't keen on going to Mahoutokoro). In fact, he favours the former far more than the latter.**

 **Guest** **(about Archer's comments to Mordred): Actually, while you have a point (and I do bring this up in the notes for Chapter 7), Archer's also being a dick. The main reason he doesn't like Mordred is not just because of what Mordred did to Arturia (though that is a factor), but rather, the fact that Mordred is clearly protective of Shirou, and thus a potential hindrance to his rather elaborate suicide plan. Mordred may not be at the level of a Servant, but she and Harry are wild cards that may scupper his plan. That being said, he's got Harry as a possible back-up Master for Arturia if Rin dies or is otherwise unable to become a Master. Remember, Archer's main plan, once he defects to Medea's side, is to kill Shirou and ensure Rin gains Arturia as her Servant. Unfortunately, it happens out of order.**

 **OBSERVER01** **: Harry and Mordred WILL strap Arturia down to watch** ** _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_** **. It. Is.** ** _Canon_** **. And Gilgamesh is aware of Mordred. In Chapter 9, he and Kirei have a brief discussion about Mordred, amongst other matters, and while Gilgamesh thinks her a poor imitation of his would-be waifu, he does admit to her skill in battle and her fire.**

 **Guest** **(regarding the Killing Curse and Shirou's competency): Harry has never used the Killing Curse in this story, and doesn't know how to. Shirou is actually at the point where he can Project Noble Phantasms (he could do what he did against Kuzuki with less side effects right now, if he wanted to), but he doesn't know it, but most importantly, he's actually a much stronger mana supply for Arturia this time around, meaning that she is stronger than in canon.**

 **Jostanos** **: To quote Berserker from Episode 2 of** ** _Fate/Cero_** **, "** ** _That pun physically hurt me._** **"**

 **1\. This comes from Project Mouthwash's** ** _Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Abridged_** **Episode 2:** ** _Burr-Zerr-Carr_** **.**

 **2\. This comes from BlueDrakmaVA's** ** _Fate/Apocrabridged_** **Episode 1:** ** _Clarent Call_** **, modified from dialogue Kairi and Mordred have, though Kairi was trying to figure out why Wikipedia claimed Arthur was Mordred's uncle when she claimed Arthur as her father.**


	7. Chapter 6: The Tiger and the King

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **THE TIGER AND THE KING**

Taiga, naturally, pounced on Mordred and Harry like the cat she was called the next morning, doing her usual melodramatic wailing about how they were being delinquents going out so late and getting involved in lethal magical tournaments, _again_. The melodramatic tones were amusing, but the sentiment was real. Taiga cared about her charges dearly, both in her personal life and in her professional life. A hurried explanation only satisfied her so much, and she seemed determined to discuss it with Shirou and Arturia over breakfast. She was originally having a day off, but she was going to be supervising the Archery Club at the school later.

That being said, when she heard some details, an impish smirk came over her face, and she had a plan that had Harry and Mordred smirking as well. Harry might respect Arturia for her abilities as a warrior and the qualities Mordred had admired her for…but for how she treated Mordred in life, she deserved a prank at least.

So, early enough, they Apparated to the Emiya household, Taiga holding a few rather substantial parcels. They walked to the door, and rang the doorbell. Shirou answered it soon afterwards. "Shirou, YOU IDIOT!" Taiga wailed. "WHY OH WHY DID YOU LET YOURSELF GET EMBROILED IN THIS MESS?!"

"…Big Sis Fuji, can you please come inside and THEN make a scene?" Shirou asked.

"Fine! Stupid magic users and their stupid cone of silence…" Taiga grumbled as she walked in. "Sakura not in?"

"She called, said she was heading to the school early to start practising with Ayako and the others," Shirou said, as he returned to cooking. Arturia was sitting, as she was the night before, in a _seiza_ position, her armour removed from her dress, though she stood as the newcomers approached. "Anyway, I guess Harry and…Mordred told you what happened?"

"Well, if what I heard was correct, and it sounds absolutely _insane_ , you got attacked by a guy in blue spandex who was Cú Chulainn, you then somehow summoned up the Once and Future King," she gestured at Arturia, "and then you got attacked by _Hercules_. And his leash was being held by someone who was Kiritsugu's daughter, that same albino girl we saw a few nights ago. Have I got that down?"

"More or less," Shirou said. "I'm still coming to grips with the fact that you're Mordred," he said to Mordred.

"What, because of my gender?" Mordred asked, in a dangerous tone of voice.

"Of course not! You just seem…well, too _nice_ to be Mordred," Shirou said. "The Mordred I heard of from tales was, well, a brutal, violent knight who plunged Britain into civil war. But you…you've got a temper and a bit rough around the edges, but you're a good person, Mordred."

Arturia sighed quietly, closing her eyes. "Shirou, the tapestry of myth and legend distorts the reality of what happened. And in truth, if Mordred, as you told me, has lived in this era for three years, it may have changed her."

"It's blunted my temper, not tamed my heart," Mordred growled.

"Your strength has waned somewhat, Mordred. I could tell last night. But on the other hand, your technique has been honed," Arturia said, before she opened them, and looked at her child, before turning her gaze to Taiga. "Miss Fujimura, was it? Thank you for being there for Mordred. I have many regrets from my life, and Mordred is one of the most prominent."

Now, Taiga actually felt angry on Mordred's behalf towards Arturia, Harry knew, just as he had. But she also knew better than to poke a lion. Of course, there were many ways to get retribution. "No problem, Your Majesty! Anyway, Harry and Mordred told me about your inability to…Astralize, was it? So, I brought some of Mordred's spare clothes! That way, you can accompany Shirou to school to guard him from any enemies! Not to mention accompanying him on any outings."

"…That is most generous of you, Miss Fujimura," Arturia said, taking the first parcel Taiga proffered, not noticing the impish smirks on the Fujimuras' faces. She opened it up, and then found some panties, daisy duke jeans shorts, and tube tops. She blinked in confusion. "Miss Fujimura…is this acceptable attire?"

"I just thought, well, you could match your child, you know? I mean, I wish I could look as good as you do when you're at your age," Taiga said, smirking. "I mean, you have to be at least twice the age you look if not more."

"…It's practical for moving about in, I'll concede," Arturia said uncertainly, though she was blushing slightly. "You wear these, Mordred?"

"Yeah, so?" Mordred was currently wearing her school uniform, though. "If I can pull it off, surely the King of Knights can?"

"Are you goading me?" Arturia asked, her eyes narrowing. "I'd prefer something more…elegant, not this…exposing wear!"

Taiga snorted. "Don't worry. Mordred actually does wear more covering clothes. I brought them over. She'll never be seen dead in a skirt unless it's the school uniform, anyway." She handed over the other packages.

Arturia opened them, finding jean trousers and shirts, along with a couple of school uniforms. "…Acceptable. This should help disguise me. And as I can swap between my armour and normal clothes…thank you, Miss Fujimura, your… _prank_ notwithstanding."

"She's like that at times," Shirou said as he finished cooking the breakfast, and began serving it up to those present. They soon got to eating.

"So, I've been thinking," Taiga said as the meal neared its end, "if you're going to be transferring to the school as Shirou's bodyguard, we need an alias for you. The cover is that you're a relative of Mordred's from England, a cousin or sister. I can help smooth things over with the faculty, but we need a name. I was thinking Jeanne as a first name, like Joan of Arc."

Arturia flinched. "…I'm not sure whether I like being called that. The Caster of the previous Grail War was Gilles de Rais, and he was obsessed with me, calling me Jeanne, as well as his 'Holy Virgin'."

"…Jeez, Father, that sucks," Mordred said.

"He was far from the only one who had designs on me, one way or another. I spoke to you of Sir Lancelot as Berserker. Rider, thankfully, was not obsessed with me, though his words cut me to the quick. Lancer, Diarmuid of the Love Spot, he was a good man, but he died cursing me thanks to my Master's treachery. But Archer…he wished to make me his wife, regardless of whether I wanted to or not."

"Waver Velvet said the Archer was Gilgamesh of Uruk," Harry mused.

"That would explain much," Arturia said after a moment's thought and a grimace. "His pride, his arrogance, his claims of primacy…"

"Arturia," Shirou said quietly. "I saw the way you looked at me when I said my name was Emiya. And Harry said your Master was my father. Were you there at the end?"

Arturia took some time before she nodded in reluctant acknowledgement. "Shirou, please do not misunderstand me, but there is little I wish to say about your father. You may have known him at his best, but I knew him at his worst. He treated me as a tool and little more. Indeed, at the very end, without any explanation, he used two Command Seals to force me to destroy the Grail. I was dispersed by the backlash, and woke up once more at Camlann."

"…Wait a moment," Harry said. "Did you say that Kiritsugu Emiya ordered you to _destroy the Grail?_ The Grail that, I assume, he was extremely ruthless in trying to get in the first place?"

"Indeed. What are you getting at, Harry?" Arturia asked.

"No, no, I see where he's going with this," Mordred said, tapping the table pensively. "He was fixated on getting the Grail? Obsessed?"

"Above all other things. Even his wife, Irisviel, was sacrificed to become the Grail. She was a Homunculus like Illyasviel, but one modified to become the Lesser Grail, I believe." She frowned. "…Are you implying that Kiritsugu destroyed the Grail because of some…discovery? Something was wrong with it?"

"Ten years ago, when the Grail was destroyed, there was a massive fire in Fuyuki," Shirou said quietly. "I was the only survivor. Dad died five years afterwards. I only really thought about it later, when Harry and Rin and Sakura taught me about magecraft, but…maybe he was cursed in some way."

Arturia's eyes narrowed. After a moment's thought, she said, "Maybe. It does fit the facts. For Kiritsugu to throw away the wish he shed so much blood over…something must have driven him to have me destroy the Grail…though he may have also been forced to be bound in a geas of some sort. Given what he did to Lancer's Master, it would have been poetic justice. I cannot take any satisfaction in that, though, as everyone lost. Something bothers me, though. Not just about the Grail: the possibility that Kiritsugu may have been justified in ordering its destruction is disquieting enough, to say nothing of the Grail War happening ten years after the last one as opposed to sixty. No, it's Illyasviel."

"What about her?" Mordred asked.

"I actually saw Kiritsugu's daughter with Irisviel shortly before I left for Japan. I heard that name in passing, Illyasviel…but she was a girl of eight years old, though she looked younger," Arturia pointed out. "She should be eighteen. If she is the same girl…"

"She's part-Homunculus, remember?" Harry asked, before indicating Mordred. "You know how odd their growth patterns can be."

"Indeed. A cruel fate for her, then. Shirou, later, I wish to see where the Grail was destroyed," Arturia said.

"Probably not a good idea," Taiga said. "It's a park now, but most people avoid it. People get the heebie-jeebies there. Like it's haunted."

"All the same, I need to see it for myself. As a Servant, I am more attuned to spiritual states than normal humans, even Magi."

"Well, at least we know who some of the Servants and Masters are," Harry said. "Lancer is Cú Chulainn. Berserker is Heracles, and his Master is Illyasviel. We don't know who Archer is, but he seems to know you and Mordred, Arturia, and he's Rin's Servant. We're yet to see Caster, Assassin, or Rider, but we think those suspicious 'gas leaks' leaving people in comas is Caster's handiwork."

"And there's those sigils Rin spotted," Mordred said. "They're either some Master's dirty work to fuel their Servant, or else the Servant is using a Noble Phantasm. Either way, if that thing gets switched on, the students and staff there will be melted down for their mana. So, Mum, if you suddenly feel faint, resist the urge to fall asleep with all your might."

Taiga nodded with a proud, feline smile, before Arturia looked at Mordred in surprise. "…Mum?"

"Well, yeah. What, did you think I'd continue to call that bitch who raped you and raised me, an incest-born Homunculus lovechild, to be a weapon against you a mother? Taiga's been a better mother than Morgan could ever be!" Mordred snorted.

"…You still call me Father," Arturia pointed out.

"My feelings for you are more complicated. I still love you, despite everything."

"No, I understand, even if it's only a little," Arturia said. "But still…thank you, Miss Fujimura." She bowed briefly.

"Hey, it's fine. But just keep this in mind: these three are very dear to me, and King of the Britons or not, if they come to any major harm, I will hunt you down and _own you with my Tiger Shinai!_ "

"…Own?" Arturia asked with a blink.

"We've gotta get you up to speed with modern lingo," Mordred said, rolling her eyes. "And Mum, if you ever tried it with a Heroic Spirit, you'd get owned yourself. Unless they were a Caster. They're wimps…" She frowned. "Hey, wait a moment…Father, do you still have Avalon?"

"No. I believe the von Einzberns obtained it, and had Kiritsugu use it as a catalyst for summoning me, but I know not where it went afterwards."

"…And yet, nobody would throw a Noble Phantasm so valuable away…" Mordred mused. "Did Kiritsugu keep it or something? If it was still around, it would've been the perfect catalyst for summoning you a second time." Suddenly, she looked at Shirou.

"…What?"

"Were you injured during the Fuyuki Fire, and then healed quickly or something?"

Arturia seemed to realise it too, before she went over to Shirou. "Do not worry, I will let you keep it if it is true."

"If what is true?" Suddenly, as Arturia seemed to concentrate, Shirou yelped as golden light wafted from his torso, and a beautiful wedge of gold and blue metal appeared. "What is that?!"

"Avalon…the Everdistant Utopia. In short, the sheath of Excalibur. A Noble Phantasm that heals the wounds of those who possess it," Arturia said solemnly. "Kiritsugu may have used it to save your life during the Fuyuki Fire. And that's how you summoned me. It must have acted as a catalyst." The sheath sank back into his torso.

"Yeah, best he keep it," Harry said. "Shirou's the sort to run in where angels fear to tread."

"I'm not that bad!" Shirou protested.

" _You_ _ **are**_ ," chorused Taiga, Harry and Mordred…

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **The Taiga has met the King!**

 **Review-answering time!** **3697014** **: There may be, but the main emphasis is going to be on the Nasuverse, not the Potterverse side of things.**

 **SonicAnime2010** **: As stated before, this will be following mostly the** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **storyline, albeit with some significant changes. Chapter 9 will have the first main divergence from that storyline.**

 **Temporal Knight** **: I actually like Sakura, but then again, I have a soft spot for shy characters and** ** _kuuderes_** **. Then again, Sakura doesn't get that much character development until the** ** _Heaven's Feel_** **storyline. And while you have a point, I just wanted to get straight to the Nasuverse stuff. Mordred actually thinks of herself as a girl, thanks to Harry and Taiga's influence (as female warriors are so prevalent in modern fiction), but she doesn't like being thought of as 'girly', hence her bad reaction to Lancer, or to anyone thinking she can't be Mordred or a knight if she's a girl. She's a tomboy and proud of it. The reaction at the Yule Ball was actually rather muted, as Mordred had already made herself known, though some snide homophobic remarks were made when Mordred showed up in a tuxedo.**

 **As for Illya…well, let's just say that Gilgamesh's attack on the von Einzbern castle ends a little differently…though it also means another character is put in danger. And as for Bazett…I haven't decided. I'd prefer to save her, but I'm not sure how to bring it about.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	8. Chapter 7: Rider Attacks

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **RIDER ATTACKS**

When they got to the school, Arturia being enrolled as a transfer student under the name of 'Jeanne Vivian' (she'd finally accepted the first name of Jeanne as an alias), they convened with Rin in a disused classroom. "So, how are we going to do this?" Harry asked.

"We can't take any major action against the sigils during school hours, but we can search them out. I need the Magi here to look discreetly for any signs of magecraft that don't belong. If you can spot a sigil like the ones we saw last night, mark them down in your mind," Rin said, crossing her arms. "In addition, keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. The Master is likely to be a staff member or a student, as the school was deliberately targeted."

Taiga, who was present, asked, "Look, can I look for any sigils?"

"Sure. You probably can't sense them like Magi can, but another pair of eyes would help, as they are visible, but probably hidden from view. Keep in mind, we'd only be delaying whatever it is. Archer's convinced now that this is a Noble Phantasm. What's more, there may be another gas leak, and we intend to investigate later. I had Archer run a brief reconnaissance, and as we feared, magecraft has been involved. People are being drained of their lives and souls, with their very essences reduced to mana, fuel for a Servant. So, I don't want you to ask about anything specific, but keep an eye out for gossip. Well, save for you, Shirou."

"What do you mean?"

"You're friends with Issei Ryuudou, right?" Rin asked. "Now, don't get me wrong, I think the likelihood of him being a Master, or at least the Master behind either the sigils or the 'gas leaks' is pretty much nil. But…from my father's notes, Ryuudou Temple is one of the places the Grail can manifest, given a convergence of leylines."

"And the others are…?" Shirou asked.

"I believe I can answer this one," Arturia said. "There was the area where the Fuyuki Fire took place. The church where the Overseer resides. And your residence, Rin, is the last of these."

"…And how do you know that?" Rin asked suspiciously.

"Does it matter?" Harry asked. "But you're right. Shirou, ask Issei discreetly whether there's anything new around Ryuudou Temple. Like newcomers or something."

"Wait, doesn't Mr Kuzuki live there or something?" Taiga asked, before tapping her chin. "Wait…I remember something. A couple of weeks back, Issei was asking Mr Kuzuki about a woman he was residing with at the temple, someone who was claimed to be his fiancée. I didn't really think much of that because, well…can you see Mr Kuzuki getting married? He's even more like a monk than Issei is! Do you think that could be related?"

"It's a possible clue," Rin said. "Keep in mind…we don't know if the woman is a Magus or a Servant. That being said, if the Caster Servant is up there…then we're in trouble."

"Why's that?" Taiga asked.

Mordred scoffed. "One of the Caster class' specialties is Territory Creation. In other words, they can turn a specific area into their stronghold, where their magic has the advantage, and their enemies, Servants or not, have a disadvantage. And if it is Caster who is draining all those people, then he or she must have massive reserves of mana. They can wield magecraft like wizards can wield their magic, like it's out of the Age of the Gods. Dammit, I really hope it's not Morgan who's Caster. That bitch is insidious. Anyway, Ryuudou Temple would be like a damned fortress with a Caster based there."

"And it also has a Bounded Field meant to repel spirits of all kind, save for the main entrance. In short, even Heroic Spirits cannot enter unless it's by the front door, so to speak," Rin lectured. "So, don't bother asking anything, Shirou. If Issei volunteers any information, then make note of it. But I know you can't do subtle, so don't ask anything."

"What do you mean, I can't be subtle?" Shirou asked.

"Shirou, you not only find it hard to be subtle, you're remarkably dense when it comes to people's feelings for you," Mordred scoffed. "Remember how we had to practically ram it into your skull for you to realise Sakura wanted to be your girlfriend?"

"And _you_ can be subtle?" Shirou retorted.

Mordred just looked at him flatly. "It took you a few years to realise that I was really Mordred. I did a pretty damn good job of hiding it until last night. Subtlety may not be my forte, but subterfuge is another matter."

"Which I'd like to think is my influence," Taiga said proudly, prompting sceptical looks from everyone else present. "…What? … _What?!_ "

* * *

It was lunchtime, and parent and child decided to have lunch on the roof by themselves. Mordred, after eating from her bento box, looked over at her father, before asking, "Okay, so, what's the deal with you, Father?" she asked quietly. "I know Heroic Spirits are basically Xeroxed copies of the original from the Throne of Heroes, and if they ever get re-summoned for another one, they don't retain their memories of the previous one. And yet, you still have memories from when Shirou's dad commanded you, and you can't Astralize."

Arturia's eyes flickered over to her child, before she looked down. "…I…believe I made a deal with the World. Gaia or Alaya, I know not which. This is my true self, as it was shortly after Camlann, albeit without the wounds you inflicted on me with Clarent. I regretted not finding the Holy Grail, and so, I wished for a second chance to find it. And in doing so, the Grail War may give me the opportunity I seek."

"Hope you haven't become a Counter-Guardian," Mordred remarked. "I don't want my father to be the lackey of the Counter Force for eternity. You're better than that."

"…If I end up in service to the cause of humanity, that's fine."

Mordred scoffed. "And look at you, the perfect king, adding yet another burden to the whole thing. And yet, you don't show another crack in that perfect façade. I used to admire that. Instead, I pity that."

"Do you not believe that a king should serve their people, as a protector?"

"Of course I believe that a king should serve, Father!" Mordred snapped. "I may not have subscribed as much to chivalry as you or the other Knights of the Round Table did, but I believe that a king and his knights should protect their people! But don't you remember? You were _too_ perfect! Perfection is inhuman! I actually saw you act more human in the past day than I ever did when Camelot still stood! Do you think the rebels flocked to my banner because they were evil or something? No, they did so because you seemed inhuman! I never claimed to be perfect, and in the end, that was the point. They saw that, and preferred me to you, because I seemed as human as they were. And as for me, I just wanted you to understand…I wanted to be your successor, your heir! I wanted to show myself worthy of your love and attention!"

"You were a tool wielded by Morgan," her father said softly. "A puppet dancing on her strings. She knew all too well that you would never be my heir. You led so many good men to their deaths, and slew many of my own. All because of Morgan's spite."

Mordred subsided, before saying, quietly, "Yeah, I know that. I see their faces sometimes, in my dreams. The guys I led, dying. What about you?"

"During my reign, yes. In truth, I can't be angry at you anymore, or rather, not enough to wish to fight you to the death, Mordred. Oh, I will agree to the spar you wish to have…because I want to give you something you want."

"What I want? If it weren't for the fact that I'd be turning my back on my friends, what I would want is to take that damned kingship away from you, take Caliburn from the stone instead of you," Mordred said. "Your duty as king killed you by degrees. And you must have regrets, or else you wouldn't be summoned for a Grail War. You must have some sort of wish, and I don't just mean seeking the Holy Grail. I mean, the one you're fighting for now wasn't the one we wanted to find."

"Yes. But I do not wish to speak of it. You're not the only one to tear down my ideals of kingship, though. Rider, Iskandar, he did so too. He had a point, damn him, but still…some part of me resents him for his hypocrisy, for unlike you and I, he believes that to be a king is to be an inspiration. He was famous for plundering and conquering his way across the Middle East. I cannot condemn him too harshly, though, for he was still a valorous man and a powerful warrior with the loyalty of his subjects behind him. But Kiritsugu…"

"Hey…" Mordred said quietly to her father. "You don't have to talk about him. I know how painful a memory he must've been."

"…I still intend to. You are my child, Mordred, you deserve to know this. He engineered the death of Lancer through treachery, you see, tricking his Master into forcing Lancer into committing suicide by Command Seal. Diarmuid of the Love Spot was a good man who deserved a warrior's death, not being forced to impale himself with his own weapon. He died cursing us all, even I. And Kiritsugu forced me to give the _coup de grace_ to Lancer's Master after his associate grievously injured him, due to a geas scroll he manipulated that Master into signing. I confronted Kiritsugu on his cruelty, and he denounced chivalry, and my own code, claiming that war is hell, chivalry or not, and that heroic tales merely inspire greater atrocity than before. I understood his reasons…but he also didn't care that to do as great evil as he did in his actions, not caring about the suffering he inflicted as long as it brought him closer to his goals…he tainted his hands, heart and soul. I believe him to have once been someone who pursued justice, only to be hampered by the way this world is."

Mordred scoffed. "…The funny thing is, Shirou was inspired by his father to become a Hero of Justice, someone who'll save everyone he can. And that arse Kiritsugu missed the point. Yeah, okay, war is hell, you only have to look at what happened over the past century to see that, and people like us, we inspired a lot of that shit. But…how many _good_ deeds have we inspired? Especially you?" Mordred looked over at her father. "I'm even more jealous of you than I was back in our time. You're one of the best loved heroes in the whole world. People are inspired to do good shit every day because of the example you left them. True, they don't know the real reasons why Camelot fell…but maybe that's the point. Maybe you became the perfect king not for our time, but for the future. Because we want the heroes in stories to be perfect, well, the ones in myths, anyway, but not the ones leading us now. I dunno, this philosophical crap makes my head hurt worse than that sake I snuck from Old Man Raiga's liquor cabinet."

"No, I understand. Mordred…that is perhaps the wisest counsel you have ever given," her father said.

Mordred bit back her retort when she saw the sad smile on her father's lips. Instead, she said, "It's been three years for me, not counting the time I was in stasis. For you, Camlann's only been…what, a week or so, depending on how long between Kiritsugu summoning you and then ordering you to nuke the Grail? That gave me time for self-reflection, once I realised I was stuck in this era." She then scoffed. "They got so much crap wrong, our genders aside. I so wanna kick Geoffrey of Monmouth's arse, not to mention that idiot Thomas Malory…"

* * *

After school was finished, the three Magi and their associates stayed after school, going around and destroying the sigils. They went in pairs: Shirou and Arturia, Harry and Mordred, and Rin and Taiga. They'd found a number of the sigils, and found a divide-and-conquer approach worked.

However, just as Harry was dealing with a sigil in the Archery Dojo, they suddenly heard a muffled cry from nearby. They rushed to the source to find Ayako Mitsuzuri half-hidden in some bushes, with a bizarre figure straddling her, biting into her neck.

"Drop her," Mordred said coldly, summoning Clarent and her armour.

The figure did so, sighing quietly in what sounded like understated irritation, before standing and turning around. It was the figure of a woman, in a black, toga-like revealing dress with purple trimming. Equally purple was her long hair, reaching down to her thighs, while a strange rigid blindfold covered her eyes, an elaborate symbol on her forehead. "…She's still alive," the woman said. "So…a wizard, and…not a Servant, and yet with the bearing of one."

"You're a Servant?" Harry asked. "Assassin? Caster? Rider?"

"Servant Rider," the woman said.

"So, you were feeding off her mana via her blood," Harry said. "Either that, or you're a Dead Apostle. Did your Master order that?"

The woman remained silent. At least at first. But she seemed to mutter under her breath after a moment, in a strange, hissing tone, " _A worthless coward and a fool, making me feed from these people._ "

Harry's eyes widened. The first time he had heard tones like that was when Taiga took him to the reptile house at the zoo. Parseltongue, they called it, the language of serpents. A blindfold, Parseltongue… " _You're a Gorgon_ ," he muttered in realisation. " _No…THE Gorgon…Medusa_ …"

Rider seemed taken aback. But before she could say anything, Archer appeared. "So, here she is," Archer said.

Rider, or rather, Medusa, seemed to hear something, before she said, "My apologies, but my Master has ordered me to withdraw. Our little confrontation will have to wait for another time." She Astralized, leaving them with Ayako's unconscious body, sprawled on the ground.

Harry went over to Ayako, and began healing her. Luckily, it seemed that Medusa hadn't taken too much blood or mana: the Archery Club captain would recover in a couple of days. "And where the hell were you?!" Mordred snapped at Archer.

"I was patrolling the area, switching between your group and the others. Even Astralized, I cannot be in more than one place simultaneously, Mordred, so kindly keep that in mind before you berate me for not coming to the rescue sooner," Archer responded.

"Yeah, well, I don't trust you anyway. I trust Rin, but you're another matter," Mordred retorted.

"The Knight of Betrayal, talking about trust?" Archer scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."

Harry turned to find Mordred pointing Clarent at Archer's throat. The tanned Servant looked amused by her gesture. Harry didn't like that rather sardonic smirk. For all that he was grateful to Archer for intervening when he did, there was something about him that rubbed Harry the wrong way. "She has _my_ trust," Harry said, walking over and gently pushing down Clarent. "Rin does, Shirou does, Saber does…but you don't. Mordred may be known as the Knight of Betrayal, but I know her better than virtually anyone here, including you. We're not here to fight for the Grail, we're here to make sure no innocents get caught in the crossfire…not to mention any unnecessary ganking of Masters."

Archer scoffed again. "This is the Grail War, fought by Magi to the death. A merciful attitude will only bring about your death."

"Don't get me wrong. Whoever's behind Rider, not to mention whoever is behind Lancer or the 'gas leaks', I'm ready to kill," Harry said grimly. "But my friends are another matter. And bluntly, I think that you'd let Shirou die if it suited you, unless Rin used a Command Seal. I don't even think you have Rin's best interests in mind."

This last bit got a reaction, though the way Archer scowled, Harry got the feeling that he was wrong, somehow. Not about Archer's attitude to Shirou, but Archer's attitude to Rin. "And? You'd kill me? I am a Servant, and you are human. Even Mordred, who is more than human, is less than me." Suddenly, there was a sword in his hand, pinning Mordred's to the ground. "And I know her tricks."

Mordred and Harry stared at the sword currently pinning Clarent to the ground. In fact, it was Clarent, a copy of Clarent. "…Son of a bitch. So I was right. You can copy Noble Phantasms," Mordred snarled, whipping her sword out from underneath Archer's copy. "You projected Caladbolg and nearly nuked us along with Heracles with it, you fake-tanned bastard."

"I warned you and Saber to get out of there. That is more warning than you'd get from other Servants," Archer retorted. "And just remember, there can only be one winner."

"Only six Servants need to die, Fake-Tan," Mordred retorted. "And I'd rather it be my father who's the victor than the likes of you."

"The father you hated, that you overthrew?" Archer sneered.

Mordred brought Clarent up to Archer's neck again with lightning speed, her emerald eyes cold and hard. Oddly enough, Archer made no move to block the sword, despite his eyes betraying a slightly surprised air. "I may have hated my father…but that's not all I feel for my sire. You know nothing about me or my father, you fake-tanned bastard, and don't pretend that you do. I know you weren't one of the Knights of the Round Table, and I'm certain you weren't at Camelot, which is weird, because I've got déjà vu just by looking at you. Anyway, you can't have been a knight. Frankly, I may not have been a great adherent to chivalry, but I can tell I'm much better than you. Now, stop running your mouth off, or I will make you fellate Clarent until you choke on your own blood and tongue."

"I'd like to see you try," Archer said, before giving a smirk. "You're right though. I know less than I thought about you. Anyway, Rin and the others are coming. Be seeing you…" And with that, he Astralized, leaving a frustrated Harry and Mordred with more questions than answers, to say nothing of Ayako's weakened body. But they knew with the utmost conviction that Archer could very well be even more dangerous than Caster or Rider…

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Oh dear. Mordred and Arturia's relationship may be on the mend, but Archer is being antagonistic. Oh, and they know who Rider is.**

 **Review-answering time!** **OBSERVER01** **: Yeah, but Morgan sets the bar pretty damn low. Then again, to give Taiga credit, for all her mooching and melodramatic ways, she also cares about others.**

 **frisbeeg70** **: I get your irritation, and I'm trying to avoid using such equivalent terms too often. Still, I also agree that many people overuse the honorifics and other similar terms. I generally avoid using those, save in specific circumstances.**

 **Guest** **: It's funny you should say something about boosting Mordred's abilities. Remember those rings Arc delivered on Zelretch's behalf? Well, let's just say that no tantric ritual is needed…though I don't actually remember one being used in** ** _Golden Queen_** **. Then again, it's been a while since I've read that story. As for how it will be a True or Good Ending…I'm actually yet to decide.**

 **Zehel2010** **: Shirou, in context, is referring to Kiritsugu saving him from the Fuyuki Fire. Remember, Shirou's whole psyche is basically based around that sheer relief and the smile Kiritsugu showed when he saved Shirou, and he never learned that Kiritsugu was an infamous assassin…while Kiritsugu was still alive, anyway. The actual speech, as mentioned before, comes from Episode 1 of Project Mouthwash's** ** _Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Abridged_** **. The whole scene is actually quite well done, as, while Shirou's voice actor in that Abridged Series is somewhat annoying, he really gives it his all, and the speech is intercut with scenes showing Arturia at Camlann, looking up at the sky (the clips of which were actually taken from** ** _Fate/Zero_** **). It's actually far more moving than in canon, and that's saying something.**

 **sondowth** **: I'm yet to decide who to pair Arturia with, if at all. Ditto Rin. I am considering putting them with Shirou, but I need to decide how willing Sakura, or indeed any of the parties involved, are to share. However, there will be no Kaleidosticks. Zelretch, however, has a massive prank in store for Harry and Mordred at the end of the next chapter. And Mordred's reaction is, well…** ** _hilarious_** **. If you've watched** ** _Dragonball Z Abridged_** **, particularly Episode 18, you'll know what to expect…**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	9. Chapter 8: Bonding Experiences

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **BONDING EXPERIENCES**

Taiga had insisted that, before they head out to look at the latest set of Caster's victims, they have a meal at Shirou's. Arturia had agreed, saying, rather sagely, " _Hunger is the enemy_ ," Mordred mockingly echoing her father's words. As they sat around the table eating, they also discussed the day's events, including Rider's appearance.

"Ayako should be fine," Taiga said. "The paramedics told me she was stable, and should make a full recovery."

"Kirei would probably handle things with the police," Rin said. "It's his job to deal with the cover-ups of the Grail War. Still, a Rider Servant, and probably Medusa."

"Yeah, but I thought Medusa was meant to be some snake woman, not some hot BDSM model, given what Harry said," Taiga pointed out. "Or a vampire, for that matter."

"The blood drinking was purely to replenish her mana," Rin said. "Given what Harry overheard her speaking, her Master is incompetent and a coward in Medusa's opinion. That's probably why she was drinking Ayako's blood, as well as the sigils, which we can safely assume to be one of Medusa's Noble Phantasms. As for her appearance…well, remember, myths get distorted. I do recall reading somewhere that, unlike the usual versions of the myth, the Gorgon sisters were originally deities born from humanity's wishes and desires. Medusa was the only one who grew out of her teens in appearance. She was cursed with the petrifying gaze by the earth deity Cybele."

"And the whole thing with Athena?" Harry asked.

"Athena was jealous of the Gorgons' beauty, and cursed Medusa with an ever-increasing bloodlust. So that version of the story goes," Rin said. "Medusa is a fallen deity. Normally, deities can't be summoned by the Grail, but given that she is a fallen one, I suppose she is an exception."

"So how the hell does Medusa qualify for being a Rider?" Mordred asked.

"Actually, I can guess," Taiga mused, placing a finger on her chin. "When Perseus slew Medusa, Pegasus was born from her blood. So maybe she has a means of summoning Pegasus?"

"That's probably right, Miss Fujimura," Rin said, giving her teacher a smile. "Another Noble Phantasm…well, I'd imagine that it's the blindfold covering her eyes rather than the eyes themselves." Her expression became serious once more. "Still…we got lucky in discerning her identity. We managed to remove most of the sigils, but they will come back. Shirou, we need to have Saber and Archer deal with her at once when we confront her."

"We're fortunate in that we know the identities of many of the Servants so early at this stage," Arturia mused. "Lancer is Cú Chulainn, Rider is Medusa, and Berserker is Heracles. Shirou, did Issei mention anything about this woman Mr Kuzuki was with at Ryuudou Temple?"

"Actually, yes. I didn't need to ask to get the ball rolling. He happened to mention her earlier, and I asked for details. Apparently Mr Kuzuki rescued her at the foot of Ryuudou Temple. She had been attacked, and had barely escaped her attacker, who'd been set on her by a man she was working with, who had betrayed her. She calls herself Magissa. Issei doesn't trust her. She's apparently extraordinarily beautiful. I didn't get much more out of him than that. I needed to show I was curious, not nosy."

"…Magissa…that's Greek for witch," Rin mused. "Either we have a Magus possibly of Greek origins…or we have a Caster of possibly Greek origins, assuming it isn't misdirection. And those that are well known scare me. Circe, Medea, Thrace, Agamede…all of them are powerful Casters from the Age of the Gods. And if they've made Ryuudou Temple into their territory…"

"Bad news ahead, in other words," Mordred grumbled. "I guess I should be relieved. I don't wanna be facing that bitch Morgan as a Caster. Issei didn't happen to mention her hair colour?"

"Lavender, actually, with blue eyes," Shirou said.

Arturia shook her head. "While she may have concealed her appearance with magic, my half-sister had blonde hair, albeit much paler than mine, almost white, along with golden eyes. That being said…there was something about Kuzuki that had me on edge. I met him earlier today at class. He moves precisely, with an economy of movement. Like a warrior…or a killer. I could not tell whether he is a Magus, but there is something about him that has my instincts whispering to me."

Mordred frowned. "…Shit, I didn't even realise it. I noticed the same thing, actually, but I just figured he did martial arts or something. The guy acts like a monk, all stoic and shit. Then again…maybe he isn't a Magus. If the woman is Caster and he is her Master without being a Magus…that might explain away some of the reason why she's siphoning mana from all those people."

"…That's scarily plausible," Rin said. "Your instincts aside, I would have thought I would have noticed that Mr Kuzuki is a Magus. The fact is, though, we don't know for sure whether he is a Magus, a Master, or indeed whether that woman is a Magus or a Servant, Caster or not. That being said, once we're done investigating the latest gas leak, we'll concentrate on Rider and whatever she's putting up over the school. Rider's the most immediate threat. Berserker and her own Master are threats too, true, but it may be that they wait until later before making a fresh assault."

"Why's that?" Taiga asked.

"Heracles must have a Noble Phantasm relating to staying alive," Rin said, pointing into the air like a teacher making points. "I'm speculating here, but I'm guessing he has twelve lives, corresponding to the Twelve Labours Heracles performed in life. And given how many Noble Phantasms work, this stock of lives may regenerate over time. So Illyasviel is probably laying low in her home base to allow that to happen, and unfortunately, assaulting that place would be difficult. The von Einzberns are sure to have Bounded Fields all over it, so bearding her in her den is not likely to work. However, it's possible, though unlikely, that she doesn't know who Saber is, and she certainly wouldn't know who Archer is."

"I'm not sure whether my former Master or Irisviel divulged my identity to Illyasviel," Arturia said. "But as a number of members of the von Einzbern household were aware of my identity, including the head of the family, Jubstacheit, it's more than likely that she knows my identity, though I doubt they were expecting me to be summoned again. However, Heracles was indeed a difficult opponent. As with the Berserker of the previous Grail War, he moves with unexpected skill and alacrity for a beast subsumed by madness. I would need to find a way to use Excalibur at full power to weaken him if not kill him. If Mordred can use Clarent at as high a power as she dares, then we do that too. We may also need to have Archer use another one of those Noble Phantasm arrows."

"Cutting off Illyasviel's Command Seals won't work, as she claimed to have them throughout her body," Harry pointed out. "I'd prefer not to kill her, as I get the feeling that the von Einzberns may have manipulated her into having this hatred for Shirou, but unless we can find something capable of severing her link with Berserker, we need to keep that option open if she tries to kill us again…"

* * *

They were soon in an office block that had been cordoned off, Taiga having gone home. The groups of Servants, mages…and Mordred all entered gingerly, only to soon encounter a number of strange creatures made of skeletons. Between them, the Magi, Arturia and Mordred made quick work of them, but they soon came to an office, filled with purple miasma…or incense.

Archer grimaced as he Deastralized. "A witch's potion, I'd wager. I guess we were right, this is Caster's handiwork."

Mordred scowled as she sniffed the cloying, sickeningly sweet bouquet, glaring at the slumped bodies of office workers in their cubicles. "Definitely not Morgan's handiwork," she growled. "I'd be able to tell otherwise."

"Unless Morgan has seen fit to misdirect us," Arturia said quietly, "but I agree. The likelihood is minimal."

"It smells like a potion that destroys love than instils it," Archer commented. "A female Caster…which ties in with that mysterious woman at Ryuudou. Still…the resentment here was enough to turn her into a Heroic Spirit…but of the darker kind, an anti-hero."

Harry waved a hand, opening a window with a spell, while Rin and Shirou did the same manually. Rin grimaced as she peered at the slumped employees. "Shirou, Harry, I'm going to analyse the mana flow, figure out where it's going. If it's Ryuudou Temple, then Caster will be there."

"If it is her, then we messed up," Archer said, crossing his arms. "Caster may have been surveying the area and witnessed the battle we had with Berserker. If she's already well-established, then she's probably got surveillance on key points of the city."

"Do you think she's watching now?" Harry asked.

"Maybe."

Mordred nodded, before she looked to the ceiling. "Oi, you! Don't involve innocents in this, bitch!" she snapped. "Otherwise, I'm gonna feed you your own entrails!"

"…I should've known," Archer groaned, facepalming.

Arturia shot her fellow Servant a look. "I agree with her sentiments, Archer, if not her words. We may have had our disputes, but we do not like to see innocents get caught up in a conflict they have no investment in, especially due to cold calculations."

"I agree, Saber, but if Caster is monitoring this area, then we just had unnecessary provocation of a Servant gathering vast reserves of power, and who has a very good base of operations."

Rin finished whatever she was doing, and nodded grimly. "As we thought, the siphoned lifeforce is heading for Ryuudou Temple. Let's call it in to the emergency services and to Kirei, and get out of here…"

* * *

Soon afterwards, Harry, Mordred, Shirou and Arturia parted ways with Rin. Arturia had wanted to see the park where her final battle in the previous Grail War took place…though at the time, it was a civic centre, with Arturia fighting in a theatre. Now, all that was left was a dismal park.

Arturia immediately seemed to be on edge as they walked through the park. At one point, she knelt down, and took from the ground a clod of soil, letting it run through her fingers. "…This is wrong," she murmured. "This cannot merely be from an outburst of stored mana…there is something… _malevolent_ here, I know it."

"You sure about that?" Mordred asked. "I mean, it gives me the creeps, and not just because, well, it's a pretty dismal park."

"I may be different to the norm of a Heroic Spirit, but I share their spiritual sensitivity," Arturia said softly. "In a perverse way, this almost feels like a Reality Marble."

"What's a Reality Marble?" Shirou asked.

"It's pretty rare," Harry said. "Just having one or even researching one's an automatic Sealing Designation from Clock Tower. Basically, it's a mental world that temporarily overrides reality, though it requires a shitload of mana to fuel, because Gaia is trying to erase it."

Arturia nodded. "Iskandar, the Rider of the previous Grail War, had one, with a desert landscape containing his army from life: the Ionian Hetairoi. It was his most potent Noble Phantasm, one I witnessed firsthand. But this isn't quite like that. It's like the very air and earth is permeated by curses and grudges of the long dead. Perhaps Kiritsugu found something out about the Grail after all, as much as it galls me to admit that. Damnation!" With that, she slammed her fist into a nearby tree, putting a sizeable dent into it.

"…Father…" Mordred said, coming over to Arturia, only to be waved away by the Once and Future King.

"Forgive that lapse. I just…every time my goal is in front of me, it's moved out of my reach _again_." She took a steadying breath.

"…Saber," Harry said, coming over and putting his hand on her shoulder. "Even if the Grail turns out to be a monkey's paw…you're still a knight, aren't you? I don't subscribe to chivalry…but one thing I can get behind is protecting the innocent. At least three of those involved here don't care about harming the innocent. The Masters of Lancer and Rider, and there's Caster too. Shirou's dream is to be a Hero of Justice. Frankly, the way he wants to do it…it's a silly dream…but still, I want to help him become a hero. A better hero than his father. And despite your trying to divest yourself of humanity to be a perfect king…you're a great hero. Because your child looks up to you still, despite everything that happened. Be an example to Shirou. Show the world that knights protecting the innocent still have a place in it. And don't be afraid to be human again."

Arturia looked at him, and then at Mordred, before nodding in acknowledgement. "…I will escort Shirou back home. Take care…"

* * *

"I don't think I've ever seen Father quite that shaken before," Mordred commented, her hands behind her head as they approached their home. "Then again, maybe the thought of the Grail being a cursed crock shook her. If there really is something wrong with the Grail, do you reckon we can do something about it?"

"Notifying Clock Tower's out. Even with Zelretch's support, a lot of Magi will get stroppy, especially the von Einzberns," Harry said. "They've apparently wanted their grubby little mitts on reclaiming Heaven's Feel for ages. Besides, we only know something's wrong with the Grail. For all we know, Kiritsugu Emiya just snapped under pressure. He was apparently the paranoid type. Then again…we just don't know."

They reached the front door then, and Taiga greeted them with a smile and a hug. "So, how did it go?"

"Caster's almost certainly at Ryuudou Temple," Harry said. "I'd put money on it."

Taiga sighed. "Okay, inside, and then, details…"

* * *

After explaining to Taiga, they soon prepared to go to bed. However, as they did so, they remembered the box Arc had given to them. "Oh, right," Mordred said, opening the box up. "Zelretch sent us rings." She whistled at the blue and gold rings thus revealed. "They look pretty snazzy too. Almost looks like they were made from Avalon. Are these Fae artifacts too?"

"Should we really put them on, though?" Harry asked. "I mean, I have no doubt that they'll do exactly what Arc said they'd do, help boost your abilities so that you're closer to Heroic Spirit levels, but this is Zelretch we're talking about. I mean, it's pretty much a law amongst Magi and wizards to say ' _beware of Zelretch bearing gifts_ '."

"Oh, please, what's the worst that can happen?" Mordred asked, before her eyes widened, and she slapped her forehead. "… _Fuck_."

"Yes. Mordred, I thought we already had lessons on daring the universe."

Mordred scowled, before she looked at the rings, and then shrugged. "What's that stupid word they use nowadays? YOLO?" She plucked a ring out and slotted it onto her finger. "…Well, it's not burning me, so I guess that's a good sign?"

Harry, a little reluctantly, did the same, only to feel a sudden pull on his magical energy. The rings began to glow, and then, so too did the box. Even as the glow from the rings faded, the glow from the box didn't, eventually showing the transparent image of a powerfully-built old man with a beard and red eyes…and a smirk. Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, the Wizard Marshall of Clock Tower, the Wielder of the Second True Magic Kaleidoscope, the Fourth Dead Apostle Ancestor, and the most infamous troll in the world. _And he was_ _ **smirking**_.

" _Ahh, Harry! And Mordred! If you're seeing this recording, it means that you've finally put on the rings. Congratulations on your nuptials!_ "

"…WHAT?!" Harry and Mordred yelped together.

" _Now, now, I'm sure you two are surprised and even annoyed, but, well, Arc doubtlessly told you the truth about these rings…just not the whole truth. In fact, you wouldn't be seeing this recording right now unless true love existed between you. Now isn't that nice? Anyway, they allow you to share a common pool of mana, as well as act as an amplifier. It means that both your powers and abilities can be amplified to near-Heroic Spirit levels. Indeed, Mordred would be only a few ranks below the parameters she would have been had she been, say, a Saber Servant, and Harry could even class as a lower-level Caster. Of course, that doesn't mean you two should be reckless._ "

"…Gonna gut you," Mordred snarled quietly at the message of the vampire.

" _Been there, done that, bought the T-Shirt_ ," Zelretch said. " _With a logo on it saying, 'I got disembowelled by an ornery tomboy'. Yes, Mordred, you ARE that predictable. That, and Kaleidoscope is handy to guesstimate possible responses. Anyway, the rings are actually the Potter family wedding rings, albeit modified by me. They now possess similar properties to Avalon, though not quite as quick with the healing. And you are bound together in magical matrimony. Once the Holy Grail War is over and done with, maybe you can have a honeymoon. I hear Alimango Island is nice this time of year, especially now that they've gotten rid of Noritaka Emiya's experiments into Dead Apostles. I'll send tickets in the mail. Oh, and I look forward to seeing you, Mordred, in a beautiful wedding gown! I'm going to make sure there is one ready for you, very frilly and feminine. Toodles!_ "

As the recording faded away, Harry looked at Mordred, who was trembling with rage. Suddenly, she opened her mouth, and…

* * *

In the church, Kirei Kotomine and Gilgamesh were sharing a bottle of wine when they heard a scream of pure fury and rage. "Such rage…" Gilgamesh remarked.

"Such pain…" Kirei said with a creepy smile on his face.

The co-conspirators in genocide looked at each other, and then clinked their glasses together. Even if they weren't the authors of such fury, they could certainly appreciate it like the connoisseurs they were…

* * *

Illya sat bolt upright in bed, looking around, startled as she heard the roar of fury. At first, she thought it was Berserker, but he was merely standing sentinel over her as always. Though she could tell by her link with him that Heracles didn't appreciate someone roaring louder than he did…

* * *

In Clock Tower, Waver Velvet, aka Lord El-Melloi II, was discussing something with Zelretch, trying to ignore the snarling ghost trap right out of _Ghostbusters_ , when suddenly, a roar of rage reached them, a familiar one to the dark-haired Magus. "…Wizard Marshall…what did you do to anger Mordred Pendragon?" Waver asked tentatively, glad that the roar had startled the ghost trap into silence.

"I did her a favour," Zelretch said with an unrepentant grin.

"A _favour_. That caused us to hear her, somehow, screaming in Fuyuki in anger."

"Yes."

After a moment, Waver left the office without another word, hoping to put some distance between himself and the Wizard Marshall before the inevitable retaliation could begin…

* * *

In a possible future, standing on a scaffold, about to play a rather terminal game of dope-on-a-rope, Shirou Emiya was asked by his would-be executioners whether he had any last words. Now, he could have raged at them for being so stupid to believe he wasn't helping people, that their belief that he was the villain behind this was moronic. Or he could have made some speech about his manifesto as a Hero of Justice. Of course, he also knew this was probably going to be his last step into becoming a Counter Guardian.

It became a moot point, though, when a wail of sheer rage and fury echoed through the execution grounds. Shirou thought it was Rin at first…but the voice was nothing like her when the Tsundere Missile went off…

* * *

And in the past of another timeline, showing that rage can channel the Second True Magic…

"…But it's BORING to go out alone!" complained Mordred, aka the Saber of Red, to her Master, Kairi Sisigou, rolling about on the floor of the mausoleum.

"What are you? A kid?" growled the leonine bounty hunter, only to blink when he heard a noise. A keening roar of rage and fury…that sounded like his own Servant, in the depth of a rage. Kairi's eyes met those of his bemused Servant, and he decided that, whoever that actually was, he pitied whoever was on the receiving end of that…

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, we've had a few bonding experiences. And yes, the joke about Mordred's scream of rage comes from** ** _Dragonball Z Abridged_** **, namely Episode 18:** ** _It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Saiyan_** **. Then again, she probably wouldn't have managed a scream that travelled through time and space and across realities without the rings. Sadly, I hadn't thought about Zelretch's jibe about seeing Mordred in a wedding dress: Arawn D Draven suggested that line when I discussed the ending of this chapter with them. Anyway, Mordred would go in a tux…as would Harry.**

 **Anyway, I've made Archer a little more antagonistic in this, at least towards Harry and Mordred. Offscreen, while he's not actually suggesting Rin kill them like he does with Shirou, he does try to poison Rin's mind against them. In truth, I think Archer still has a bit of a thing for Arturia, and the fact that Mordred killed Arturia in life? Yeah. Still, he's considering Harry a possible back-up for his plan to give Arturia a new Master, so that if Rin bites the dust, Harry can take on Arturia as his Servant. After he ices Shirou of course. But, as in canon UBW, the best laid plans oft cock up…**

 **Before I go, I'd like to make a couple of announcements. Firstly, in one of my other Potterverse/** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **crossovers, I got a very disturbing review. Not because the reviewer, Forest1395101, flamed me or anything, but rather, because they delivered a disturbing piece of information. Up until now, my fanfics, particularly those relating to** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, have been written with the notion in mind that Tokiomi Tohsaka was ignorant of the Crest Worms. However, apparently a recent interview with Kinoku Nasu has put the lie to this: Tokiomi _knew_ about the Crest Worms before he adopted out Sakura. What little respect I had for him is now dead.**

 **The upshot is, I've posted a new challenge in the usual forums, one that should, if anyone takes it up, bring to the forefront a character who really should have been explored more…and should have more of a spine: Aoi Tohsaka. I'd love to see if any of you can do anything with it.**

 **Secondly, I've decided to delay posting the next few chapters again, to give this fic a bit of time to simmer. Rest assured, Chapters 9-11 are complete, and Chapter 12 is being written.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Temporal Knight** **: Keep in mind, Archer is Shirou, particularly one from the** ** _Fate_** **route, though most people say that the version who became EMIYA never fell in love with Arturia. I disagree, but add the caveat that he never realised he was in love with her until it was too late. So naturally, he's not really fond of the girl who rebelled and killed his waifu in the first place. Also, Mordred is perceptive enough to tell that Archer doesn't really like Shirou, though her guess about Archer wanting him dead was exactly that, a guess, based on circumstance. What his motivations are, she doesn't know, and when she and Harry learn what his true identity is…well, minds will be blown…and while Mordred doesn't think highly of Shirou's dream, she still counts him as a friend.**

 **Now, Rider didn't have enough time to react, as Archer came on the scene, and Shinji recalled her. I do mention she was taken aback. As for Taiga letting Harry and Mordred sleep together…well, this is one of the few fights Taiga could not win, even with loud lamenting about how her adoptive children were becoming debauched and depraved. She's actually fine with them sleeping together in the most literal sense, and by this point, her only real proviso, should they get more intimate than they already are (they're at about second base), that they use protection, which Harry and Mordred are perfectly fine with. They're not ready to have kids by any means, and they know it.**

 **As for using 'anyway'…I can't help it. I have to try and mix up these adverbs that I do overuse, but, well, it happens. Still, there were only two 'anyways' in this very long chapter, and not as many in the chapters ahead, long before your review was posted, so you can rest easy knowing that your abounding anyway allergy (alliteration FTW!) won't be playing up anytime soon.**

 **Guest** **: Yeah, I looked it up and found the allusion to the tantric ritual in the last chapter of** ** _Golden Queen_** **before you posted your review. And yes, I wanted Arturia and Moedred to still have disagreements, but at the same time, be on the road to reconciliation without, well, like every other** ** _Fate_** **story has them doing, having them fight it out. This is partly because writing character interaction is my strength as opposed to action scenes (and lemons), and partly because, well, I want to see Moedred and Arturia try to talk it out. Both have been through life-changing experiences since they last met, so they're able to at least talk, and as I've pointed out before, while Moedred is not a true subscriber to chivalry, she still holds to many of its tenets, like protecting civilians.**

 **lord Martiya** **: I have to confess to having only a very broad knowledge of the Arthurian Mythos and the Matter of Britain, so I'll have to take your word for it. Nice point about Romanized citizens being hostile to the idea of a king, considering what the Romans did to their last king…though to tell the truth, the emperors were really just kings under a euphemism. Which, on a sillier and tangential note, made you wonder whether they were onto something when they made Nero a Saberface…**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	10. Chapter 9: A Well-Deserved Beatdown

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **A WELL-DESERVED BEATDOWN**

Taiga's reaction to the fact that two of her wards had effectively gotten married was, well, mixed, and somewhat predictable. She was torn between overwhelming amusement at their plight, rage against Zelretch for doing this to them without their consent, and lamenting that her children were growing up too fast. When they met Arturia the next morning, she too seemed conflicted, both amused by what happened, but also irritated. Still, as all good fathers did, she gave Harry a certain speech that involved a shallow grave awaiting him if he harmed Mordred. Mordred had promptly snarked that it was the first time she actually acted like a parent.

In truth, Harry got the impression that Arturia, while a little worried about her child, was actually _happy_ for Mordred. That Mordred would be able to get some happiness in this existence that she didn't have at Camelot. Indeed, Arturia seemed to be showing more human feelings, even if only in a stoic, understated way, than she ever did to Mordred in life, given how Mordred recollected things at Camelot.

Then again, the rings binding them were merely an affirmation of what they already knew. Mordred Pendragon and Harry Potter loved each other. A scrawny, snarky wizard, and a tomboyish knight from another era. A rather strange and apparently mismatched couple, but they worked. Harry saw Mordred as a strong young woman who, despite her reputation, was actually filled with compassion to match her passion. And Mordred saw Harry as someone who didn't hold what she did against her, and valued her not as a girl, or the Knight of Betrayal, but as a person. They both respected who they were. Not only that, but Mordred trusted Harry to hold her back when her temper got the better of her, while Harry trusted Mordred to kick his arse if he did anything stupid.

They each had their respective reputations to overcome, to say nothing of their pasts: Harry still had nightmares about the Dursleys and how they treated him, along with the Fuyuki Fire, and Mordred still had her own neuroses about her time at Camelot. But together, and with their friends, they could, if not overcome them, then cope with them.

Of course, they were still so going to kick Zelretch's arse when they next met him.

The next day, after school, Harry and Mordred happened to notice Shinji Matou beckoning Shirou to go talk with him. The two followed at a discreet distance, casting a Disillusionment Charm on them both. Shinji was bringing Shirou into the forest not far from the school. Ambush territory.

However, as they followed, they suddenly felt a hand clamp down on each of their shoulders. Quietly, they heard Rider's voice say, "I wouldn't. I'm sure that my Master would object to you eavesdropping."

"Dammit, let go of me," Mordred snarled quietly. "Anyway, how the actual hell did you find us?"

"Your magic may prevent you from being seen, and muffle any sounds you make…but my senses are sharper than normal humans, let alone Servants. They have to be, considering I wear the Breaker Gorgon," Rider said. Then, she spoke Parseltongue. " _Listen to me. If he shows off a particular book in his hand, then destroy it. If you do that, then I won't be your problem anymore._ "

" _A book?_ " Harry replied. " _Why are you helping us?_ "

" _Because he is not my true Master. Do this, and I will be able to remove my Noble Phantasm from around the school._ "

Harry's eyes widened, and he looked at Mordred. He whispered into her ear, "Shinji is not Rider's real Master, just controlling her. If we see a book in his hand, we destroy it. Rider claims she'll remove her Noble Phantasm then."

"How can you trust her?" Mordred hissed back.

"If she wanted to kill us…we'd be dead already, or else being played around with."

"So, if Shinji's not her real Master…who is it?"

"Either Sakura or her grandfather," Harry said. "Probably the former." He looked over his shoulder at Rider. "And what will you do if we stop Shinji?"

"Protect my Master until I receive further instructions."

Harry chuckled softly, remembering something he read while reading up on myths. "Funny, that. Medusa, in Greek, means _guardian_."

A faint smile touched the purple-haired Servant's lips. "You'd better hurry. My would-be Master is just starting to… _negotiate_ with your friend. You only have one chance to save him. Don't miss it…" She then Astralized.

Harry and Mordred hurried along, and soon found Shinji and Shirou talking. "…Just an insurance policy," the blue-haired boy was saying, though Harry and Mordred knew he was lying through his teeth. "As for Ayako, my Servant is rather… _wilful_ , shall we say? She did that herself. To tell the truth, I don't want to fight."

Shirou's eyes narrowed. "And how do I know this isn't a trap? I thought we were friends until you attacked Sakura for wanting to be my girlfriend."

Shinji's face twisted briefly into a paroxysm of rage, before he calmed himself with a visible effort, and said, "Look, that's in the past, Shirou. I've come to accept that. My point is, Shirou…is that I want to join forces. That new girl, Jeanne…she's a Servant, isn't she? She's a pretty strong one too, according to Rider. We Matous used to be a Magus family of considerable strength, but our star has, admittedly, waned somewhat."

"I'm aware of that," Shirou said. "I may not be a conventional Magus, but I know that much. I also know that you have no magical ability, according to Rin. And yet, Sakura does."

Shinji's face twisted once more in rage, and he snarled, "That little dunce is no Matou! She's a goddamned cuckoo, usurping me from my rightful place! She was adopted into the family!"

"…What?" Shirou hissed, his exclamation mirrored by Harry and Mordred.

Shinji cackled. "What, you didn't know? Oh, she didn't tell you! Then again, she'd be ashamed to admit it to anyone, even you. Still…I'd be loath to allow my sister to visit a participant in this Grail War. She can be used as leverage, after all."

Shirou glared at Shinji, before he sighed. "…Shinji, I thought we were friends. But I know you are lying about Rider. You ordered her to attack Ayako. And you call draining the people in this school an insurance policy? Killing them? And you hurt Sakura. Do you think I would enter into an alliance with you? I want to prevent as many deaths in this Grail War as possible. I think entering into an alliance with you would be a mistake."

Shinji scowled. "A mistake? The only mistake I see is the fact that you came out with me without your Servant." He whipped out a hardbound book from his jacket with a vicious grin. "Rider, I command you…"

But that was as far as he got. With a snarl of "ACCIO, _BOOK!_ ", Harry summoned the book to his own hand. He dropped it on the ground, and Mordred, without any prompting, shoved Clarent right through it. Almost instantly, it burst into lavender flames. Shinji whipped around to see Harry and Mordred looking unimpressed.

Shinji after a moment's staring in despair, eventually muttered, "Well, that's not fair at all."

"I'm sorry. _I don't give a fuck(_ _1)_ ," Mordred said, her teeth bared in what was part snarl, part grin. Then, she was on him, beating the crap out of him.

"GAH! MERCY!"

"Mercy? Is that something you eat?"

"WAIT-WAIT-WAIT! THAT DOESN'T BEND THAT WAY! IT DOESN'T- **_GAAAAHHHH!_** NOW IT DOES!"

"Think of this as my way of beating the stupid out of you."

"MY WORLD IS NOTHING BUT PAIN!"

"And _my_ world is filled with a metric fuckton of anger towards a certain Dead Apostle. That makes you my stress relief, you yellow-bellied, blue-haired, _entitled little_ _ **bitch**_."

Shirou looked at Harry. "…How did Mordred exchange her sword for Big Sis Fuji's shinai?"

"…It's an art passed down through the Fujimuras for generations," Harry said with a shrug. "I can do it too, actually. Zelretch speculated that it's a highly specialised form of magecraft that certain people can do, magic circuits or not."

"…And why is she singing 'Singing in the Rain' while beating the crap out of him?" Shirou asked.

"Thanks to Zelretch, Mordred's watched _A Clockwork Orange_ ," Harry said with another shrug. "I mean, she's too young to see it, technically…but frankly, she's seen worse than a bunch of thugs beating the crap out of people or sex scenes. Remember, she fought in some of the bloodiest battles in history. Personally, I prefer the book. Kubrick sexualised it too much. I'd pity Shinji, but…" Harry shrugged again.

By the end of it, Shinji was now unconscious. Mordred had, surprisingly, not broken bones, though she did dislocate Shinji's arm, left him one giant bruise, and he was probably concussed. And sterile. "Anyway, what the hell was that book thing?" Mordred muttered, spitting on Shinji's face as an afterthought. "I mean, it had to be some sort of Mystic Code. But given what Rider claimed, it was allowing this shitstain to control her."

Medusa appeared. "The creature claiming to be his grandfather called it the Book of False Attendant, effectively transferring the Command Seals of my true Master to this boy. Unfortunately, I could not draw upon the mana of my true Master."

"Still…what to do with him?" Harry asked. "Taking him to hospital might raise too many questions."

"He's an ex-Master, right? Maybe we could take him to Kotomine? I mean, it's not like I really trust the guy that much, but he did say former Masters could be given sanctuary in his church," Shirou said. "Plus, he's responsible for covering up the mess here?"

"I personally wanna kill the fucker," Mordred sneered.

"As much as I agree with your sentiment, my Master has given me orders to protect him," Medusa said. "Taking him to the Overseer, however, is agreeable."

Mordred gritted her teeth, knowing that if she tried to kill Shinji, she couldn't win against the Rider Servant. "Tell Sakura that keeping this shitstain alive is a mistake we'll all regret. We'll take him to Kotomine…"

* * *

Kirei Kotomine clicked his tongue in a chiding manner that seemed, frankly, theatrical. "And what did this poor young man do to offend you so?" he asked, as he examined Shinji's body.

Mordred scoffed. They'd used Apparition to get here, and she was feeling a mite irritable, especially now she was meeting this priest up close and personal. Something about him made her want to turn him into an impromptu scabbard for Clarent. "Wanted to turn the high school and everyone in it, staff and students alike, into Servant chow, tried to kill our friends, beats his little sister, swaggers around like a wannabe pimp, has an arrogance in inverse proportion to his penis size…take your pick."

Kirei harrumphed. "I have to say, I'm impressed at the restraint you showed in beating him up. Restraint is not something you would normally show, would it, Mordred Pendragon?"

Harry and Mordred were instantly on-edge. "How the fuck did you find out?!" snarled the Knight of Betrayal. "Have you been spying on us?!"

"Hardly, though I acted as a spy for Rin's father, Tokiomi, ten years ago," Kirei said as he healed Shinji. "As the Master of Assassin, I used my Servant to spy on the other Masters. And thanks to the chivalric foolishness of your sire as well as Lancer, to say nothing of Rider's own foolish bragging, I learned the identities of many of the Servants. Saber was King Arthur, or rather, Arturia Pendragon. It was odd to see her once more, as well as yourself, who resembled her so much. Your attitude did not seem to match up with Morgan le Fay's, so I guessed, correctly as it seems. Then again, I have to confess to finding you more interesting than your sire, Mordred, despite you not being a Heroic Spirit."

"Whoopee shit," Mordred snarked. "I don't have a thing for creepy priests, even if they're lookers."

"My interest is not romantic. Rather, I find your character more interesting than Arturia's. Your sire is, after all, somewhat monolithic, a paragon of chivalry. Whereas you…a scorned bastard child, a Knight of the Round Table, and yet kept apart. I'm surprised you didn't attempt to run your sire through when you first met."

Mordred glared at Kirei with her emerald eyes. In a low growl, she said, "You know _nothing_ about Father and I, you fake fucking priest, nor is it any of your business. Or did you want to kill your father, even if you loved him?"

Mordred noted that Kirei's eyes widened fractionally, then narrowed, before the sardonic priest regained his equilibrium. "With a tongue like that, you'd get along well with my daughter," Kirei observed.

"I'd be scared of anyone with your genes or raised by you," Harry said flatly.

"She was raised by my in-laws. Still, Caren has my wit, as well as my talent as an Executor…"

"…Did you say Caren?" Harry asked, thinking back to a girl she met at Clock Tower briefly. A girl from the Church, with silvery-white hair, golden eyes, and a sharp tongue. "…Caren Ortensia?"

"Ah, you _have_ met her?"

Mordred scoffed. "She was acting as a liaison for the Church due to some high-level Dead Apostle hunt the Church and Clock Tower were cooperating for. Nero Chaos, I think it was. Unfortunately, he killed most of those sent to deal with him, and slipped away before Arc arrived on the scene. Little brat had one hell of a mouth on her. Surprised to see someone so young acting for the Burial Agency. Then again, given who her daddy is…"

"Indeed. And I am sure you have all of _your_ father's skill and ability," Kirei said with a beatific smile that fooled nobody. "In any case, I believe you have overstayed your welcome. You are not Masters in the Holy Grail War, but your affiliation with Rin and Shirou mean that your presence here skirts the edge of the rules."

"Fuck you too," Mordred retorted, as she and Harry turned to leave.

"Before you go," Kirei said, "one last thing I should bring to your attention. I doubt that what you did to Shinji will alleviate much of his sister's suffering. Then again, bonds between siblings are so fragile. Why don't you ask Sakura about her older sister, the one who barely acknowledges her existence?"

"We'd have known it if Sakura had an older sister," Mordred snarled.

"And yet, they didn't know you were Mordred until recently," Kirei said.

"Like she said, fuck you too," Harry snapped.

"By the way, I couldn't help but notice the rings you were wearing," Kirei said. "I would have been all too happy to officiate a ceremony, though aren't you too rather young to get wedded?"

Harry and Mordred looked at each other, before they said, simultaneously, " _Zelretch did this._ "

"…Ah. My condolences…"

* * *

After the two Fujimuras left, Kirei sighed quietly. "Well? What did you think?"

From out of the shadows walked a man with blonde hair, red eyes with slitted pupils, and an arrogant bearing, dressed simply in a white shirt, black jacket and trousers. "She is but a poor imitation of Saber, a crude, unrefined, rabid cur, though I will admit, having witnessed her battle with the mad dog, she does well for one who isn't a Heroic Spirit. And she has the fire of Saber, I'll grant her that. Still…what should be done about the descendant of that pathetic worm?" The man indicated Shinji's body, which was being healed by Kirei.

"He may prove useful. This fool's ambitions exceed his ability, but I am sure that he might be persuaded to help, especially to help deal with those two. After all, pawns have their uses…"

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, in what is the first major divergence from the mainstream** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **route (aside from the Shirou/Sakura pairing, anyway), Shinji has had Medusa stripped from him. Don't worry, though. I have a plan for her and Sakura.**

 **1\. Shinji's despairing words and Mordred's response comes from** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **Episode 2, albeit with Shinji standing in for Jan Valentine, and Mordred standing in for Integra.**


	11. Chapter 10: Confrontation in Ryuudou

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **CONFRONTATION IN RYUUDOU TEMPLE**

Taiga, Harry and Mordred watched as Shirou and Arturia sparred in the Emiya dojo. Harry knew that Arturia was holding back immensely, but even so, for Shirou to do this well was impressive. Then again, the Fujimuras occasionally trained Shirou in kendo, mixed in with Mordred's brutal swordplay. " _If you're gonna be a Hero of Justice_ ," Mordred had said at the time, " _you're gonna have to learn how to kick some arse!_ "

Harry could confidently say that he was actually a better swordfighter than Shirou. This was partly his mother's influence, but also because of Mordred. But Shirou was pretty good, though he was a better archer.

As Shirou was knocked onto his arse, Arturia frowned. "I guess I should not be surprised that I see much of Mordred's style in you," she said.

"Hey, whatever he needs to do to survive, Father," Mordred said with a shrug. "Not every opponent is gonna be chivalrous. Besides, it's not all me. Some of that's Mum's influence. She's a monster with a shinai. They called her the Tiger of Fuyuki."

"Mordred…what have I told you about calling me that?" Taiga asked, in a dangerous tone of voice.

"The better question is, do I care? Father's the only one here capable of spanking me, y'know," Mordred bragged.

"Do you think Rider will be a problem again, though? I mean, I know she claimed Sakura was her Master…but I'm not sure I believe it," Taiga said, deciding to change the subject.

"Medusa confirmed that it was Sakura, but that Zouken used a Mystic Code to hand over control to Shinji," Harry said. "For now, we can count on her to ally with us, or at least stay out of the Grail War for now. Meaning our biggest problems are Berserker, Lancer, Caster, and Assassin."

Arturia nodded. "Particularly Caster and Assassin. Berserker is a major threat, and we can't discount Lancer, but we know their identities and thus something of their skillsets. However, Caster and Assassin are both very dangerous, doubly so given that we don't know their identities."

"We have some clues as to Caster's," Harry said. "If Rin is right, then Caster may be a Magus of Ancient Greek origin. I did some searching after Rin said some names, and of those two, Circe and Medea are the most concerning. Of course, it might be a misconception, but in the unlikely event that we encounter her, we use those names and gauge her reaction."

"Though it is doubtful that she will answer to her true name, should it be exposed," Arturia mused. "Speaking of magecraft…I have to confess, I was told by Shirou that it is largely thanks to you that he has a good supply of mana to give to me. Apparently Kiritsugu taught him an incorrect method to use magecraft."

"The moron was using his own nerves to create new magic circuits every time," Mordred scoffed. "Painful, potentially lethal, and frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Kiritsugu taught him that method deliberately to try and deter him from using magecraft."

Harry nodded. "Shirou's ability to use magecraft is highly specialised too. His element and origin, Rin learned, are the same thing: Sword. It means he's pretty much unable to use any magic, save for three fairly basic spells: Structural Analysis, Reinforcement, and Projection. Admittedly, I'm not much better at magecraft, and only know a few other Magus spells, though wizarding spells are another matter."

Arturia raised an eyebrow. "Shirou, may I see?"

Shirou smiled. "Sure." He closed his eyes, and murmured, " _Trace On._ " Blue light coalesced around his hand, before forming into a tanto. "It fades after a while, but you can certainly fight with it. I've been practising for quite a while now, though it's only been in the last few months that I realised that my Projection is really good with anything like a sword, a knife, or a spear."

"Hey, Shirou," Taiga asked. "Do you think you could, I dunno, copy a Noble Phantasm or something?"

"…Well, possibly, but it'd probably be a bigger drain. You see, when I Project a blade, I don't just copy the materials. I also copy the 'experience' of the wielder that accumulates in the objects. Something like Excalibur or Clarent would be taxing at the very least. Though…well, it's weird. It's almost like I know them somehow already, like there's a part of my soul where they rest."

"Well, you've had Avalon in you ever since the Fuyuki Fire, right?" Taiga asked. "I mean, maybe that's why Excalibur and Clarent feel familiar. But I don't want you trying it, Shirou! I don't want you burning out your brain and becoming a vegetable all because you bit off more than you can chew! I'm regretting putting the idea into your head! In fact, you know what? I want Harry and Mordred to sleep over to keep an eye on you…"

* * *

No protest Shirou would make would deter Taiga, and truth be told, Harry and Mordred agreed for now. Sakura seemed to be keeping away from the Emiya household for now, sadly. They would see her in the morning at school, and try to ask about how she was, especially now that Medusa was back to protecting her.

However, Harry and Mordred, spooning on their shared futon, were suddenly roused by Arturia. "Shirou's gone," she said. "I saw these magical threads, and they come from Ryuudou Temple."

Mordred snarled, quickly changing into her armour. "Then let's get him back. Harry, d'you think you can Apparate us to at least as close to the top of the stairs as possible? I don't wanna risk Apparating while carrying Father, because of that damned barrier."

"I'll give it a damned good shot," Harry said, hurriedly dressing. Then, he said, "Hold onto me."

They did so, and soon…

* * *

…They were stumbling out of the air near the top of the stairs leading to Ryuudou Temple, a whipcrack noise fading into the forest flanking the stairs. However, almost instantly, Arturia raised Excalibur to block a sword, a massively long Japanese sword, that slashed at them. "Hmm, you have good reflexes," a cultured, calm voice remarked. "I'll admit, I very nearly didn't attack when you three appeared, due to my own surprise."

The man who faced them near the gate was dressed in traditional Japanese robes, long blue hair framing handsome, even vaguely effeminate features. He seemed the very epitome of a samurai warrior, calm, collected and cultured. Harry knew the serene visage would irritate Mordred no end.

"What manner of Servant are you?" Arturia asked, as the man took his sword away.

"By process of elimination, he's probably Assassin," Harry said. "Unless Caster's taken up bushido."

The samurai smiled. "Indeed, I am Assassin. Kojiro Sasaki, at your service. It's natural for one to name one's self before combat…though I need not know your name, Saber, I presume…as my blade will tell me all I need to know of my foe."

Mordred snarled. "And what about us? I presume you're the guard dog for this place, though how the hell you got summoned…is Caster here?"

"Indeed. She was the one who summoned me. A rather troublesome woman. Technically, I shouldn't let you pass…but Caster has been something of an irritation to me, and letting some intruders through to scare her is one of the few joys I have. You and your green-eyed paramour may pass…but the admission price is a duel with Saber."

Harry looked at Arturia. "You got this?"

Arturia nodded without hesitation. "Take care in there."

Kojiro let them pass without comment as they dashed into the Ryuudou Temple grounds, only to find Shirou ensnared by the magical threads, his arm being raised like a puppet's, while Caster was reaching out a glowing hand to touch his own…particularly the hand with his Command Seals. As Shirou grunted, trying to break free, Caster said, in a sultry, purring tone, "Good boy…getting your Command Seals is all the more sweeter when you struggle against…" She suddenly realised that Harry and Mordred were dashing at her, Harry firing off a spell at her, and she dodged.

Harry looked at their foe, appraising her, even as she looked displeased at the interruption. She was most definitely a woman, dressed in purple and black robes, including a hood that obscured most of her face, save for her blue lips, and a few tresses of lavender hair. Suddenly, a fusillade of arrows further drove Caster back. And a welcome and yet unwelcome voice sneered, "I was half-expecting you to be dead already, even with the cavalry on the way, and yet, you've got more gumption than I thought."

"Oi, Fake-Tan!" Mordred snarled. "We had this!"

Archer, who was perched on the roof of one of the buildings, scoffed as he leapt down, letting his bow dispel. "And I just happened to be in the neighbourhood," Archer said. "I'm sure you had a plan for escaping here?"

"Not like we're going to discuss it in front of enemy Servants," Harry snarked at Archer.

"Well, I did part of your job for you," Archer retorted. "The threads Caster used to puppeteer Shirou's body have been severed. I'd suggest you stay out of harm's way, for a change."

Caster, who was gritting her teeth in fury, snarled, "A Servant and two other intruders got by that useless damned Assassin?!"

"See? She's pissed," Archer remarked. "And hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, as they say. So, it seems like things are going to get ugly soon. Then again, a weak Servant has no chance to win this Grail War."

Caster seemed to calm herself with a monumental effort, though. "To win this Grail War is a simple matter," she scoffed. "I'm more concerned with what happens after."

"You ensnared Mr Kuzuki, didn't you?!" Shirou snarled at Caster. "Didn't you?!"

Caster looked at Shirou in shock. "How did you…hmmph, the rumour mill at the school my Master works at must be informative enough for you to join the dots like that. In truth, you could say it's the other way around. I owe him a great debt. Still, I will not countenance any threats to his person, let alone my own."

"And what of the people you put into comas for your mana?!" Harry retorted. "If you dare say they were necessary sacrifices, I'll find a way to end you myself."

Caster chuckled. "Oh, you have spirit, boy. A shame you are my enemy. But you are merely a wizard, but in my territory, I am a demigod."

Harry, thinking back to what he researched about Rin's guesses, said, "Well, you probably were one in life, weren't you?" Her lips tightened ever so slightly. Harry decided to take a gamble. Flip a coin, so to speak, on her identity. And a gut instinct told him he was correct. "The child of King Aeëtes of Colchis…Princess Medea."

Judging by her dumbfounded reaction, he got it right. "How did you…?"

"Magissa. Greek for witch. There's surprisingly few well-known witches from Ancient Greece. I just took a guess. Now, we can do this one of two ways. You can either find other ways to get mana…or Archer here will turn you into a pincushion."

Medea laughed. "Oh? You're amusing, but do you think the three of you, plus Archer, could defeat me? I personally think stopping you would be insultingly easy."

"Easy?" Archer asked. "This coming from a witch slinking around in the shadows like a rat?"

Medea snarled angrily. "Of course it's easy. You fail to forget that, as a Caster, Territory Creation is a specialty of mine, and arrogant fools like you cannot so much as scratch me here. And calling me a witch with such contempt will only ensure a fitting punishment."

"Oh? I cannot scratch you?" Archer asked. "Then if that's truly the case, then Saber can have you."

"Oi, save some for me, Fake-Tan," Mordred snapped.

Medea turned to face Mordred. "Yes, I remember what you claimed you would do…something about my entrails, little girl?"

"You remind me a lot of my birth mother," Mordred snarled, readying Clarent. Suddenly, she dashed forward using Mana Burst, and just as Medea summoned a staff, Mordred ran her through. "I hated her," Mordred spat, before kicking Medea's corpse off Clarent. Then, she frowned. "…Okay, no way that it was that easy."

As Medea's body dissolved into violet light, Harry was the first to spot Medea's real body, flying in the sky, her cloak splayed out like the wings of a bat…or, given the colourful patterns underneath it, like a butterfly. "Up there!" he yelled, as magic circles coalesced into existence in front of Medea. "ACCIO, _MEDEA!_ " he yelled, trying to pull her down to the ground, but she didn't so much as shift.

"How cute, the wizard thinks such spells would work on me," Medea chuckled, her eyes glinting malevolently from beneath her hood. "Still, I have to give you points for trying."

"So, it's either teleportation or some sort of time control," Archer mused. "In your territory, you can emulate either wizarding magic, or the magic of the Age of the Gods, approaching True Magic. I have to say, Medea, I'm actually impressed."

"I can't say the same for you," Medea retorted, firing a blast of energy at Archer, who blocked it with his twin sabres. "Honestly, I'm not sure whether Assassin is worse than you or not. And here I was thinking you might be of some use to me."

"Sorry to disappoint you. But I'll try harder."

As he dodged another blast, Harry went over to Mordred and Shirou. "We need a plan," Mordred snarled as they took cover.

"I've got one. It's very reckless and stupid, so it's got your fingerprints all over it, Shirou," Harry said. Then, he Apparated, hoping beyond hope it would work…

…And then, he was behind and just above Medea. She had just enough time to hear him, before he grabbed a hold of her, wrapping his legs around her waist from behind, and his arms around her neck. Vicious, yes, and against most opponents, he wouldn't even consider it. But a Caster Servant, physically, was the weakest usually, most of them being only a little above the human norm.

Still, he was correct in his surmise, that he was managing to choke her, clinging to Medea like a limpet. "Let…go of…me!" she gasped. If she had any spells capable of getting him off without endangering herself, then she had forgotten to use them in her panic. She was even beginning to drop down out of the sky, albeit at a slow rate.

With a roar, Mordred used Mana Burst again, leaping high into the air, Clarent raised, seemingly to bisect Medea, and with her, Harry. But to Medea's shock, Mordred used the _flat_ of Clarent, swatting Medea over the head and out of the sky with an almost comical **_bong!_** , as if she got hit with a frying pan. Harry hurriedly Apparated away just before they both hit the ground, though Harry rolled as he appeared. "Mordred, that wasn't part of the plan!" Harry snarled.

"Hey, it worked better than you trying to choke her out!" Mordred retorted. "Besides, I didn't trust Fake-Tan to do to you two like Piccolo did to Raditz and Goku! Seriously, one look in his eyes, and you know he's a team-killing fucktard!"

"…That…HURT!" Medea snarled, getting gingerly to her feet within the small crater she made on impact, her hood falling away. Her features were almost inhumanly beautiful, Harry realised, even elfin, an impression enhanced by her elf-like ears. But her blue eyes danced with concussed fury and madness. Beautiful, but clearly not exactly sane. "Have you got any last words, brat, before I destroy you?"

"…Actually, yes. If I swung that way, I'd tap that, and hard," Mordred said. "Oh wait, does hitting you with my sword count?"

Medea screamed, before taking to the skies once more, magic circles appearing…until Harry and Mordred noticed something at about the same time she did. A blast of mana-laden wind hit them as they watched Archer summon his bow, and place a twisted sword-like arrow on it. " _I am the bone of my sword_ ," he growled, before he roared, " ** _CALADBOLG!_** "

Medea had only enough time to raise a magic shield that proved to be little defence for the projectile that lanced at her. She was knocked out of the sky in a flare of magical energy, and crashed to the ground, her clothing torn and tattered, blood oozing from her mouth. She was clutching an arm in pain.

"And there you have it. I told you I'd scratch you," Archer said as Medea healed herself. "I'm not here to kill you, not yet. I was here to protect this boy. I try to avoid unnecessary conflict."

"That's fine by me," Mordred snarled, dashing forward, only for Medea to shoot into the air once more, though no magic circles appeared.

"Still, it's strange," Medea remarked. "The boy can't abide by seeing Servants feeding on the so-called innocent or straying from his naïve sense of morality, and you, Archer, cannot stand senseless slaughter. You both are more alike than you care to realise."

"What?! We're nothing alike!" Shirou protested.

"Agreed. While we share similar views, we are fundamentally different," Archer said, though Harry thought he seemed to be protesting too hard. Suspiciously so.

"I'd ask for you to join me in alliance…but something tells me that's not on the cards, even if I do have a strategy to expedite the end of the Grail War," Medea said. "Besides, with four of you here, it's a mite…troublesome. You may go for now. However, I will leave you with this warning. Go after my Master, and what I put my enemies through in my past life will seem like Elysium compared to that which I shall put you through." With that, she dissolved into motes of purple light.

"Dammit, she escaped! Why the fuck didn't you end her?!" Mordred snarled at Archer.

"My work here is done. Now, I'd suggest you get out of here too, before Caster decides to make a second attempt on you," Archer said. And with that, he disappeared into particles of mana, and Mordred, Harry and Shirou intended to get the hell out of there, and hopefully pick up Arturia while they were at it. Still, it begged the question, why did Archer not try harder to kill Medea? Something told Harry that there was something dangerous going on, something they wouldn't find out the reason for until it was too late…

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Wow. Another notable divergence from UBW canon, where Archer hasn't made an attempt on Shirou's life…though this is partly because Medea got out of dodge sooner without making her offer (beyond hinting at it), and partly because Archer knows it'd be troublesome to try and kill Shirou with Mordred and Harry present. Though there's not much official material showing Caster without her hood being angry and belligerent. Most of the time, she's all sad when she has her hood off. Well, unless** ** _Carnival Phantasm_** **counts, and even then, she's too** ** _kawaii_** **in that.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Reishin Amara** **: A team-up between Kirei and GLaDOS? The world would not survive. Then again, there doesn't appear to be any crossovers between** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **and** ** _Portal_** **…yet. Hmm…maybe I should remedy that…after all, GLaDOS has the mindset for a Magus…**

 **Leicontis** **: You can hear Nappa scream something like this in Episode 9 of** ** _Dragonball Z Abridged_** **while getting beaten down by Goku. Of course, it's in the background to Vegeta trying to figure out why Goku is beating Nappa with a power level of 1006…when in reality, it's… "Over 9000. Rah."**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	12. Chapter 11: You Can Choose Your Friends

**CHAPTER 11:**

 **YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS, BUT NOT YOUR FAMILY**

Those sleeping in the Emiya household were woken up by the habitual battlecry of "SHIROOOU! BREAKFAST!" from the Tiger of Fuyuki. And as exhausted as he was after last night, Shirou rallied wonderfully, especially as Sakura had, for the first time in a while, come around. However, there was a lot of awkwardness involved, not least because Shirou, Harry and Mordred were tired. Arturia was not, due to her being a Heroic Spirit, much to Mordred's irritation.

After fleeing Ryuudou Temple, Harry, Mordred and Shirou had come across Arturia, getting to her feet after an attack from her foe. Kojiro, after a moment's thought, let them leave, Arturia in tow, and they headed back to Shirou's place, licking their wounds, figuratively and literally. Mordred was under the impression that the Assassin Servant didn't like his Master, though it still begged the question, how the fuck did a Caster Servant summon another Servant?

Arturia laid down the law with Shirou: she would be resting by his side from now on, to avoid something like this happening again. No matter how much he protested, she would do so. Mordred joked that, if he tried anything untoward, then both of the Pendragons would confiscate body parts.

As Harry helped Sakura cook breakfast with Shirou, he asked, "How's Medusa?"

The buxom purple-haired girl flinched. But Harry gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, it's okay. You could have told us, Sakura."

She shook her head. "No…Grandfather, he…"

"Sakura…Zouken Matou is not exactly a shoe-in for any grandparenting awards," Harry said. "You do know that, even if the Servants had to fight, we wouldn't attack any Masters who were our friends?"

"…But I don't want to fight," Sakura murmured.

"Neither do I," Shirou said quietly. "Except…if I don't, lots of innocent people will get hurt. And if the Holy Grail can grant any wish…well, what if someone bad gets a hold of it? And that's without what Saber feels about the Grail. The park where the Fuyuki Fire took place…she feels something malign there. Does Rider want to join us for breakfast? I can make extra. I know Servants don't need to eat, but…"

"She says she'll pass. I've actually cooked for her a couple of times at home."

"Well, bring her out, anyway!" Taiga called from the table. "I mean, I've met two Servants, three if you count the last Grail War, and I want to meet another! And that Archer guy wasn't very nice while I was helping Rin remove those sigils."

Eventually, Medusa appeared, though not in her vaguely Grecian clothing from earlier. Rather, she seemed to be wearing a black jumper and trousers. Instead of a blindfold, she wore glasses that showed her eyes. Mordred had to admit, they were beautiful, in a kind of eerie way, pale pink, with rectangular irises. "Good morning, Miss Fujimura," Medusa said. "You may call me Rider."

"Hey, I already know who you are. Seriously, who'd have thought that Medusa would be hot?" Taiga said carelessly, bemusing the stoic Servant. "Plus, you're missing your snake hair. As long as you're protecting Sakura and not going around trying to steal people's souls, then you're fine with me. Though speaking of which…what about Caster?"

"We'll get to that after breakfast, Mum," Harry said. "Needless to say, it's nothing good…"

* * *

"…So Caster is Medea of Colchis? The Ancient Greek embodiment of a woman scorned?" Taiga asked. "Well, aside from Hera and half the goddesses. I swear, most of the Greek deities were evil, and what Aphrodite did to her was nasty, to say nothing of what Jason did. And she tried to steal Shirou's Command Seals? And that lazy Archer didn't try to kill her?"

"I woulda done it myself if he didn't fuck up," growled Mordred. She looked at her father. "And the Assassin she summoned, that Kojiro Sasaki?"

"He's a highly-skilled swordsman if nothing else," Arturia said. "He implied that he spent little of his life on anything that was not swordplay. I believe him, as he gave me trouble…and that technique, the _Tsubame Gaeshi_ , the Swallow Reversal strike…he claimed to strike thrice within the same breath, a technique he developed to slay a swallow in flight…but I know he used dimensional refraction to briefly make his sword split into three blades simultaneously, to attack from three different directions at the same time."

"Dimensional what now?" Taiga asked.

"Effectively, he warped space," Harry said.

"…Do you think he'd be up to teaching me how to do that?" Taiga asked. "I mean, imagine doing that in kendo!"

"He seemed personable enough, but he implied that the technique was the result of decades of committed training," Arturia said. "In any case, amiable or not, he is, if not our enemy by choice, then one by dint of being Caster's Servant."

"And that's another thing I don't get! How can Caster summon a Servant?" Taiga demanded.

"Actually…it's possible," Sakura said hesitantly. "Not very, but…Grandfather knew something about Caster summoning a Servant. As Caster is a Magus, she technically may be able to summon a Servant, but because of the safeguards of the Grail system, the Servant would be under restrictions."

"Geographical ones, perhaps?" Arturia asked. "Maybe he is bound to that one area, and that would explain why he is being used as a guard dog. Then again, Caster, with her scrying ability, wouldn't need to use Assassin as a scout."

"And that damned Archer let her go," Mordred snarled. "He could've finished the bitch, but instead, he let her go off! And out of everyone in the Grail War, we don't know his name or identity! But, he knows pretty much everyone else's…"

"Then we'll have to consider going after Caster again. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that the same tricks will work again," Harry said. Before he could say anything further, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Mordred said, getting up and heading to the door carefully, just in case. However, when she opened it, she was not expecting the diminutive form standing there.

"Oh, it's you," Illyasviel von Einzbern said, looking pensive as opposed to the smugness she had that night before. "…Is Little Brother Shirou here?"

* * *

Shirou was the one who eventually allowed the albino girl in, despite the various hostile looks she got from the others, save for Sakura, who looked merely anxious, and Medusa, Arturia and Shirou, who just had appraising expressions on their faces. However, she sat between Arturia and Shirou with as much grace and dignity as she could muster. "So, you're Kiritsugu's daughter?" Taiga asked. "I'm pretty miffed he didn't mention you."

" _You're_ 'miffed'?" Illyasviel asked. "My family said he abandoned me for Shirou. How am I supposed to take it that he never mentioned me to my stepbrother?"

"So, where's Mr Roid Rage?" Mordred snarked.

"Still at our castle, though if any of you threaten me, I _will_ summon him with a Command Seal," Illyasviel said. "I'm sure Sella and Leysritt will have words with me going out by myself, but they're just overprotective busybodies who should stick to being my maids and not trying to replace my mother."

"Illyasviel…I'm sorry I could not protect your mother as well as I should have," Arturia began, only for the albino girl to wave her off.

"I blame Kiritsugu for that," she said quietly.

"…And your body?" Arturia asked.

"I'm half-Homunculus, Saber," Illyasviel said, showing an unnatural cynicism for one appearing to be so young. "Anyway…I didn't come here for you." She looked over at Shirou. "…I just want to know…why?"

"…Why Dad died? I don't know, I think he was ill. He had some sort of disease. One night, five years back, he just…died where he was sitting, right next to me."

Illyasviel looked at Shirou, before she said, quietly, "That's not what I meant. I meant…why did he choose you? Why did he abandon me for you?"

"I don't know why!" Shirou protested. "I think he went on trips overseas…in fact, I saw one of the tickets once, to Stuttgart Airport. But…"

"Stuttgart Airport is where we departed for Fuyuki ten years ago," Arturia said. "It was the closest international airport to where the von Einzbern's lands in the Black Forest were located."

"…He tried coming back?" Illyasviel asked, more of herself.

"Perhaps. Illyasviel, while I had many issues with your father, one thing he would never do would be to willingly abandon you," Arturia said. "Or at least not without good reason. Shirou is an innocent in these matters, and I am ignorant as to why Kiritsugu didn't come back for you."

Mordred noticed that Sakura seemed troubled. She had to wonder why. Then, she remembered that bastard priest's words, about Sakura having an older sister who wouldn't acknowledge their relationship.

Eventually, Illyasviel shook her head. "Even so…I'm so angry with him…he never came back…or he never got back…I just…I had no-one left. Mummy died, Daddy left me until he died…all I had was Old Man Acht, and he has all the affection of a walk-in freezer."

"Who?" Shirou asked.

"Jubstacheit von Einzbern," Arturia supplied. "I heard Irisviel refer to him as Old Man Acht. He's the head of the von Einzbern family, and, if I recall correctly, he's actually a Homunculus himself, and has been in charge of the family for at least a couple of centuries. And he did have a very cold demeanour."

"Hello Pot, my name is Kettle, have we met?" Mordred couldn't resist snarking at her father's expense. "Listen, kid…I know what it's like to be disappointed by my father…but I still loved my father all the same. What I feel for my father is ridiculously complicated, all tangled-up and snarled up. I mean, you know who we both are. Our feud brought down a goddamned kingdom. Kid…don't let that happen the same way. Don't let Shirou suffer for what Kiritsugu did."

"While I cannot agree with all of my child's sentiments, I agree with the most essential ones," Arturia said. "Shirou was wholly ignorant of your father's link to the von Einzberns, at least until recently. Instead of feuding, you should cherish your connection to him. You two have seen him at his best, not the way I saw him, as the Magus Killer." She smiled softly, Mordred actually feeling intensely jealous at the affectionate way she looked at the albino brat…though she also noticed the melancholy as Arturia said, "You have your mother's looks, you know. I remember that day I saw you, playing with Kiritsugu, counting walnut buds in the snow at the von Einzbern castle. That was the only time I saw Kiritsugu smile with anything approaching human warmth and kindness."

"…Illyasviel," Shirou said quietly, gaining the albino girl's attention. "I know the Grail War means that the Servants have to fight…but…I don't want to kill the Masters. Especially if they've done nothing wrong. You, Sakura, Rin…we're all kids, we shouldn't have to fight this. Look…as a show of good faith, we can tell you the names of some of the enemy Servants. I'm not discussing Rider's identity, and Archer hasn't revealed his name, but Caster is Medea of Colchis, and she has somehow summoned Kojiro Sasaki as Assassin to act as her guard at Ryuudou Temple. Lancer is Cú Chulainn, and his Master seems to be going around killing any witnesses and potential rivals. I'm telling you this because…well, I don't want to fight my…older sister?"

"…Call me Illya," Illyasviel said quietly. "And Shirou…you don't get it. Even if I don't kill you, the other Masters will. I mean, I can tell this Matou girl has a thing for you, but that Tohsaka girl? The Tohsakas wear a thin veneer of culture and sophistication that does little to hide the fact that they are barbarous plagiarists. Just ask the Edelfelts. And the Matous, or at least Zouken, are worse, present company excluded." Illya shot Sakura a look of sympathy. And the thing was, Sakura didn't even seem to protest, whether with her tongue, or her body language. If anything, she seemed to Mordred like she wanted to agree with Illya.

"Are you saying Rin will kill me?" Shirou asked.

"This albino brat's full of shit, at least where Rin is concerned," Mordred retorted. "But…that Archer with the fake tan is another matter. I've seen the way he looks at you. And I don't think it's just a Servant looking to eliminate threats to his Master, it's like it's personal for him. Dunno why, but maybe he doesn't like your face." She then chuckled. "Or maybe it's because he knows you're good at Projection, and he doesn't want someone copying his schtick."

"While his motivations may be hard to fathom, I do concur. For some reason, he seems to have a particular grudge against my Master," Arturia said. "Though in truth…there was something about Archer that reminded me of Kiritsugu when he was on a mission, as it were."

"We're drifting away from the point," Taiga pointed out, "which was meant to be the adorable reconciliation between Illya and Shirou! Oh, it makes me weep just thinking about it!"

"…Is she always like this?" Illya asked in bemusement.

"Oh, Mum can be serious when she wants to," Harry said. "That's when you should be afraid. Did I ever tell you about the time a couple of Death Eaters came to Fuyuki seeking revenge for what I did to their master? They should have known better than to target Mum…"

 **CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, we've got more Sakura and Illya, with the latter beginning to reconcile with Shirou and Arturia.**

 **On a related note, I'm actually soon to begin playing** ** _Fate/Grand Order_** **for the first time.**

 **This is the last chapter for now. I've made a start on the next one, but still…well, hopefully, this lot will tide you guys over for now. So, enjoy Christmas.**

 **Review-answering time!** **rmarcano321** **: Depends on the franchise. The Potterverse ones sound like silly mangling of Latin, for the most part, though some are very apt. Merasmus' spells in** ** _Team Fortress 2_** **are even more silly. Others, though…well I actually like the German incantations Rin uses, as well as the Latin ones Kayneth Archibald uses for the Volumen Hydragyrum. And, well, the spells used in** ** _Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem_** **…*shivers*. Especially those spoken by Chattur'gha.**

 **lord Martiya** **: You brought this issue up in** ** _Separated at Birth_** **, and I'd like to refute this unnecessary nitpicking** ** _again_** **with a few things. One, though Harry has done some research, he doesn't know where Colchis is. Two, as I stated in my response to you bringing up the same issue in** ** _Separated at Birth_** **, she's descended from Greek deities, she uses Greek words in her spells, she's part of a famous Greek myth, she spent much of her adult life in Greece, so, she's Greek by default. Plus, she's in shock over how Harry was able to correctly guess who she was, so quibbling over her nationality isn't high a priority. *sigh***

 **OBSERVER01** **: The irony being that Archer is actually not going to kill either of them unless he absolutely has to. Remember, he has Harry in mind as a backup Master for Arturia, should Rin be unavailable due to death or inconvenient location, and as Mordred herself has a magic core, I think she could, theoretically, sustain a Servant of her own. However, keep in mind that Archer is a supreme pragmatist, and Mordred in particular has taken notice. Then again, those two are not dissimilar in some regards, at least where their pragmatism is concerned, though I'd like to think Mordred has more concern for human life.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	13. Chapter 12: Father-Mother-in-Law

**CHAPTER 12:**

 **FATHER/MOTHER-IN-LAW**

Harry was having lunch with Arturia at the school, with Mordred having suggested that the two of them talk, while she stayed around Shirou. She called this facetiously meeting the parents…well, parent. If Mordred and Arturia could have a heart to heart without them coming to blows, then so could Harry and Arturia.

Harry had to admit, being around Arturia, at least alone, was a little intimidating. Leaving aside her reputation as King Arthur, to say nothing of what Mordred said she was like, Arturia had a considerable presence in person. While clearly nowhere near as cold as she had been during her reign at Camelot, as far as Mordred saw, she still had charisma. In fact, she was probably one of the Servants who had Charisma as a skill.

As they ate their lunches, Harry said, "You know, I probably know more about you than you do about me."

"Actually, there are iterations of you on the Throne of Heroes," Arturia said as she ate, quickly but with a dignity that belied the alacrity of her eating. "Caster, Rider, and Assassin are your more common classes. Your story does vary somewhat across the timelines you do exist, just as much as my own does, so pinning down what is the quintessential Harry Potter is…difficult."

Harry looked at Arturia, emerald eyes meeting emerald eyes, before he looked to his nearly-empty bento box. "Well…my earliest memory is of my mother's death. I still have nightmares of what seem to be her, pleading for Voldemort to spare me. I also remember a strobe of green light…the Killing Curse, I'm sure. I vaguely remember the flying motorcycle Hagrid used to take me to my aunt and uncle's home…where they treated me like a servant. Then, Vernon, my uncle, had a business trip to Fuyuki, and because my usual babysitters were unable to take me, I had to come with them…but then, he abandoned me in the streets, hearing about the serial killer and hoping that he'd get me. But then, the Fuyuki Fire happened. I was caught by the outskirts of it, and barely escaped, though my scar pretty much split open and started screaming. I was only seven years old…and I lost my family. But…I gained a new one in Taiga. I mean, she was still a high school student at the time, but she wanted to help me. It sounds awful, but I'm actually glad the Dursleys died in that fire. But then, I found out I was a wizard, a few years later."

"How?"

"Two old men came around to the house on my eleventh birthday. The first one was Professor Albus Dumbledore, the man who left me with the Dursleys…though he seemed repentant when I told him in no uncertain terms what happened. That, and, well, Mum whacked him over the head with her Tiger Shinai. He really wanted me to come to Britain to attend Hogwarts…but that meant leaving my friends. By this point, I already knew Shirou and Kiritsugu, as well as Sakura. And the other was Zelretch."

"The Wizard Marshall, the wielder of Kaleidoscope," Arturia said.

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore and Zelretch had a discussion. The two are on better terms than you'd think. Zelretch offered to help me learn what magic I needed. I didn't want to go to Mahoutokoro, or go to Britain for Hogwarts or Clock Tower, at least until later for Clock Tower, though I prefer self-study when it comes to magic, and wizarding spells come more easily to me than magecraft. I know a few more things than Shirou, mostly healing magecraft, but I generally use wizarding spells in combat. Anyway…three years ago, someone entered me into the Tri-Wizard Tournament, putting me under a geas contract. On Zelretch's suggestion, I went to a hidden room in Hogwarts, the Room of Requirement…and found Mordred. She revived…and I was surprised to find Mordred was a girl about my age. Of course, she didn't take my voicing that well. She's mellowed since then, but still…while I made a few friends there, Mordred was the best of them. Between her and that girl Hermione, I managed to survive that damned tournament. Anyway, I came back here, and Mordred, having become attached to me…well, she decided to come here too."

"She seems to be thriving here."

"Oh yeah. I mean, not that there's much call for a knight these days. Chivalry may not be dead per se, but it's not far from it, and Mordred can't exactly go around beating the crap out of anyone she hates. We got into trouble with the cops more than once. Thank God for Gramps. She does a bit of vigilante work on the side, though. She loves reading Batman comics, to say nothing of manga along the same lines. And I sometimes help her. Okay, I was probably a bit harsh with you when we first met, calling you out on how you treated her, when she was born from Morgan raping you, but…"

"No, I understand, even if your remarks were hurtful. You have known Mordred longer than I have. I did not truly know her, or at least her heart. I never truly hated her, for being Morgan's offspring or the method by which she was born. No child, whether they be bastard or trueborn, should be ostracised for the sins of their parents. No…it was her delusion in believing she should be my heir, as she lacked the qualities to be a king. My mistake was in not trying to correct that, either her delusion, or else trying to redress that. However, I valued her as a knight and a warrior, even if she did not subscribe to chivalry. And to tell the truth, I am glad that she has found happiness in this time. She has grown in wisdom, despite her belligerence. And she has found someone who can love her as she is."

"Well, yeah. I don't care that she's a girl. She's a good person, pretty rough around the edges, but she needs someone who can acknowledge that she is a good person. And, well, I needed someone who could see me as something other than the Boy Who Lived. Not many people did. You at least chose to take Caliburn out of the stone. I didn't have that luxury," he concluded bitterly.

"…I am sorry," Arturia said quietly. "But…even despite that, your valour and ability are without reproach, despite the dangers you face. The same can be said of Shirou, though both of you have a recklessness that reeks of Mordred."

Harry shook his head. "I will admit, I'm pretty reckless, and Shirou even more so, but we've been like that well before I met Mordred. Shirou even more so. We think…he's got a shitload of survivor's guilt thanks to the Fuyuki Fire. He is almost wholly incapable of putting himself before others. Actually, you two are pretty alike in many regards. Maybe that was Avalon's influence…or maybe it was that dream Kiritsugu put into his head. We've managed to get him to realise that, if he dies, Sakura will be heartbroken, so he's a little less reckless." Thinking of Sakura, he frowned. "Actually, Kirei Kotomine mentioned that she had an older sister who wouldn't acknowledge her. Would you have any idea who that is? Shinji indicated she was adopted into the family."

Arturia looked up to the sky. "I do not know. Kiritsugu shared little information with me about the Matous, though he shared little information with me in general. Still, I remember Irisviel remarking about the stagnation of the Matou family, how less of their family were producing heirs with adequate amounts of magic circuits to become Magi. If Shinji is any indication, then it is little wonder Sakura was adopted in, as Rider appeared to be receiving an adequate supply of mana. Do you think it's wise to allow Rider to be at liberty?"

"She seems to be in this Grail War to protect Sakura. I can get behind that. Sakura is a gentle person, without a mean bone in her body. But back to you and me. I am sorry for giving you grief, but…"

"You were saying it on behalf of your paramour," Arturia said. "I understand that and accept that and your apology. In truth, I should apologise to Mordred. While she does still lack the capacity to be a king…her qualities as a knight, her disdain for chivalry aside, are without reproach. And I am truly glad she has found someone who can see her for the person she truly is, and not just as myth saw her…or how I saw her. Truth be told…I turned my back on her at Camlann not because I despised her…but because I did not wish to show my tears, of shame and self-reproach and sorrow." She looked rather rueful. " _The king does not understand human feelings_. That's what Tristan said to me once. I certainly misunderstood Mordred's."

"You've got a chance to fix that. Arturia…we're with you. Mordred may want to fight you, but she also cares about you. And like Shirou, we want to prevent as many casualties of this Grail War as we can, and to find out what is up with the Grail. While we want to protect our friends, quite frankly, we're on your side more than any other. Besides, Shirou needs a full-time babysitter."

Arturia nodded in agreement, a wry smile touching her lips. "Yes. And I am glad Mordred is enjoying her new life."

"Oh yes. She loves going to the beach for one thing. She's a natural surfer, actually, while I'm a klutz on a surfboard. She's practically a Rider with that surfboard." Harry thought back to the memory of Mordred in a red bikini, whooping and hollering as she rode a wave, and, partly out of nostalgia and happiness, and partly out of a bit of lust, smiled to himself(1). "She loves kendo, or at least her version of it, and action films, and sometimes, just going out and putting some punk rapist in the hospital." His smile became more vicious. "Actually, she hasn't done that for a while…well, unless Shinji's been raping Sakura."

Now that he came to think of it, he wouldn't have put it past the little shit. In fact, that would explain a disturbing amount of subtext between Sakura and Shinji. God, he hoped that wasn't true. It meant he should have done something to help her sooner. And Mordred should have left the little fuck a quadriplegic at the bare minimum…or Harry would have tortured the blue-haired bastard. He hadn't managed to use the Cruciatus yet, but if Shinji had been raping his sister…

He shook his head to free itself of such dark thoughts. Such things could wait until after they dealt with the Grail War. They probably couldn't involve the police, with Zouken Matou being a Magus and probably able to bribe or hypnotise any cops who came to the Matous to investigate, but he was going to find out the truth…and put paid to the Matous…

* * *

It was just after school, while delayed by something, that Harry and Mordred came across their adoptive mother confronting Mr Kuzuki. The pair of them winced, knowing that Taiga was poking at another big cat…or a snake. Shirou, Rin and their respective Servants had gone home.

"…Woman you're shacked up with in Ryuudou Temple is sucking the life force from those people, the ones affected by those so-called gas leaks? Do you know or care?"

Kuzuki looked at her stoically, before he said, "No, I did not know this was what Caster was doing."

For a moment, Harry allowed himself to feel an absurd surge of relief. Was Kuzuki an unwitting pawn of Caster after all? But then, Kuzuki's next words shattered that relief. "But the deaths of strangers is of no concern to me whatsoever, just as much as my life and death is of no concern to them."

"Bastard," Mordred snarled. "Magus or not, you're dragging in outsiders into this mess. You don't harm subjects if you can help it."

"I am no Magus, as Caster says you surmised," Kuzuki said. "What I am is a derelict ex-killer, left to rot and decay, a hollow cadaver. I have no intention of getting involved. If you wish to battle Caster, then I'd stand by and watch it happen. I am not responsible for your actions, violent or otherwise, any more than you are for mine."

"You could at least get Caster to stop doing those things to people!" Taiga protested.

"That's right!" Harry snapped. "Caster…Medea…she seems to care about you. She might listen to you. Fighting Caster is inevitable, but it doesn't have to be this way." Then, a thought occurred to him. "Is she watching now?"

"Who knows?" Kuzuki asked. He didn't seem to know either way.

Harry then looked at the ceiling. Medea was probably keeping an eye on her Master, given the threats she made against them. "We think there's something wrong with the Grail. The Master of Saber ordered her to destroy it at the last moment in the last Grail War, despite everything he did to try and gain it. If you really are a Magus from the Age of Gods…then you can check this. Medea…you can be better. I know your story, I know that Aphrodite fucked you over, that you were made to fall in love with Jason. You don't have to hurt others anymore, especially not bystanders."

It was a long shot, to be sure. Her actions the other night showed her to be wilfully blind to the suffering of others, malevolent and brutal. And yet…having read about her life's story, he couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards her.

He wasn't expecting a response. So when Medea materialised in front of them, protectively close to Kuzuki, they were surprised. Perhaps even more so to see her not in her robes, but in more modern clothing, a simple dark blouse and tan skirt, coupled with a denim jacket. Her expression wasn't quite as malevolent or deranged as it was that night, though she was peering at them with cold intent. "Are you trying to garner my favour, boy?" she asked, waving a hand. Harry could feel the Bounded Field, presumably for privacy, fall into place. "If so, you're doing an appalling job."

"Medea…if there is something wrong with the Holy Grail, then wouldn't it mean it's worth investigating?" Harry asked. "Anyway, I know what it's like to be screwed over by the powers-that-be. I spent a third of my life with a cupboard as a bedroom, and then, I later found out that I was a saviour to the idiot wizards in Britain, all for something my mother did, and sacrificed herself to achieve. But, and here's the thing…my friends are now caught up in this, and I would do anything to protect them. I'm not trying to garner your favour, Medea. I'm giving you a chance Jason and the Argonauts never did. If there's something wrong with the Grail, then this fighting is meaningless. The only fighting should be to save Fuyuki, if not the world and the Root, from the Grail. If you truly care for Mr Kuzuki…wouldn't you need a world to live with him in?"

Mordred glared at Harry, but he shot her a look that said, _I know what I'm doing_. Theoretically, he did. If there was something genuinely wrong with the Holy Grail, something that could cause a disaster like the Fuyuki Fire, then they needed less distractions in trying to deal with it.

Medea, after a moment, asked, "And where is your proof?"

"The park where the Fuyuki Fire took place," Mordred said, deciding to go along with this for now, despite her itching to finish what she started at Ryuudou Temple. "Saber went there and thought it almost like a bloody Reality Marble from all the malice there. Now, personally, I want to try and gut you, now that you're here, along with your Master…but Harry's giving you a second chance I don't think you deserve. So, from a prince to a princess, let me put it to you bluntly." Mordred summoned Clarent, and pointed it at Medea, her emerald eyes matching the blue ones of Medea. "Stop getting subjects involved. Find some other way to get the mana you need. Or I gut you and decapitate you like a fucking fish."

"Prince?" Kuzuki asked.

"Mordred Pendragon," Medea said, eliciting a brief widening of Kuzuki's eyes, the most emotion the Fujimuras had ever seen the man express. "You and Saber mentioned knowing Morgan le Fay, and you mentioned having a mother you hated that I reminded you of. And yet, you are no Heroic Spirit, Mordred. Which means, given the strong resemblance…that Saber is King Arthur. Or, as you know her, Souichirou, Jeanne."

"…King Arthur was a woman?" Kuzuki asked. "Then…how did she conceive Mordred with Morgan le Fay?"

"Merlin was a troll, apparently," Taiga spoke up, feeling a little left out.

"In any case, I know of a few spells or potions that could…help with conception," Medea said. She then returned her gaze to the Fujimuras. "And I don't answer to you, child," she said to Mordred. "I will investigate the Grail, if only out of prudence, but make no mistake, how I gather my mana is my business alone. If the Overseer objects, then he can come and see me himself to complain. Indeed, I have some pressing questions for him myself. Besides, Mordred…I would have thought you would understand what it is like to bear unjust scorn and hatred. We may be infamous for our betrayals…but we never truly made the step to betray others until we were betrayed ourselves. I was betrayed by Jason after Aphrodite brainwashed me into helping him, and you were betrayed by the very King you fought for, your own family."

"At least I'm trying to be better that I was," Mordred retorted quietly. "But either you can't…or won't. Either way…you've made your choice."

As Mordred made to impale Medea with Clarent, the Greek witch grabbed Souichirou, and they vanished in a cloud of glowing purple butterflies. Taiga, after a moment, yelled, "Oi, come back here! I'm not done with you! Mr Kuzuki needs to submit for leave if you're keeping him at Ryuudou!"

Mordred looked at Harry. "Do you think you've managed to get through to her?" she asked, apparently having realised what he meant by getting her to investigate the Holy Grail.

"Maybe. But she didn't seem to want to stop draining people either," Harry said. "We'll need to find a way to stop her, and soon…"

 **CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. Another chapter. Dunno when the next one is coming out. Anyway, we've got some more character interactions. Harry and Arturia have an interesting heart-to-heart, and a confrontation ensues with Medea. The latter came about because I wanted to give her a slightly more textured characterisation than she got in…well, pretty much every route of** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **. In fact, her comparing herself to Mordred was something I thought up on the fly, and which seems pretty apt. Mordred is the Knight of Betrayal, and Medea is the Witch of Betrayal, and they both were screwed over in their lives of what they deserved, especially love. In Mordred's case, it was parental love, and in Medea's case, it was romantic love.**

 **I mentioned when I posted the last chapter that I was about to start playing** ** _Fate/Grand Order_** **for the first time. Well, it's enjoyable, if addictive. Finished the first three singularities (counting Fuyuki), and have a number of my favourite Servants (Medusa, Medea, Berserker Lancelot, and Atalanta).**

 **1\. This was my little nod to Swimsuit Mordred Rider from** ** _Fate/Grand Order_** **. The bikini she wears is a little less skimpy, though.**


	14. Chapter 13: Discussions of Desires and

**CHAPTER 13:**

 **DISCUSSIONS OF DESIRES AND DOOMS**

Through a dismal park, late at night, a cloaked and hooded figure moved. The park itself was said to be haunted, so if any people saw the figure, they would have thought it was a ghost, one of the many victims of the Fuyuki Fire with a grudge that allowed it to hang onto the realm of the living. And while technically it was a ghost of sorts, one with strong negative emotions, it was no mere vengeful spectre.

Medea tried not to show it, but the park's oppressive atmosphere was getting to her. At first, she had thought those brats' words to be a distracting bluff, but her prudence and her questioning her beloved Souichirou had her checking here just in case. And in a way, she was glad to do so. Because it seemed that it may not be a bluff after all.

She knelt down, taking a glove off her hand, and picked up some soil, running it through her fingers. A quiet hiss came from her lips when she felt the sheer malice imbued in the soil. Conjuring up a jar, she scooped some of the soil into it for a more detailed analysis. Not a bluff at all. She had been hoping it was. She had been so used to deception and hatred, she thought this had been a distraction, a falsehood designed to try and get her to cooperate with them. All of which meant that it might be futile to fight the war as she was doing now, and that she may not be able to stay with the man who saved her, the man she loved.

Still, what to do next?

As she stood there, contemplating, she heard a noise nearby, and whirled, to find Archer standing there. As she tensed, ready to teleport away, Archer held up his hands. "I am not here to attack, at least not now."

Medea frowned. "The last time we met, you fired a Noble Phantasm like an arrow at me. Forgive me if I err on the side of caution. In any case, shouldn't you be with your Master?"

Archer scoffed. "She was promising, but unfortunately, she's proving to be too soft to do what it truly takes to do what needs to be done. She is no Magus, nor is she a Master."

Medea's eyes narrowed. If he knew who she was, then he might know what her Noble Phantasm, Rule Breaker, was. A ritual dagger that could nullify magic…including the bonds between Master and Servant. "…As fascinating as it is to hear your complaints about your Master, who, I admit, is a cute and fiery little thing, if a brat, I have more important things to worry about. The Fujimura boy and Mordred warned me that something is tainting the Holy Grail. I have just found some proof of it, and once I figure out what is wrong with it, then I can figure out how to fix it. I'm sure that you have your own wish on the Grail, so you should not impede me."

"I don't."

Medea raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"I don't have a wish on the Holy Grail, or rather, I am not sure whether it could grant me it. Rather, I have a desire to kill someone. Think about how much you want to kill Jason, and imagine that a hundredfold…no, a thousandfold. And that person is right here in this time and place. Of course, while killing them would be simple, I want to give them a chance. I want them to renounce the broken creed, the impossible ideal, that they follow. I will either kill their ideal, or else kill them."

Medea stared at the tanned Archer, before she began to chuckle, and then to chortle. "Oh, I see. It's the boy, isn't it? Shirou Emiya. Would killing him upset that little brat of a Master of yours?"

"That's part of the reason, though the other reason is her sister." He looked down. "She loves him, and it's why I want to break his ideals if I can rather than kill him. Because I'm sure if he dies, she will follow him into death…or worse."

"Sister? I wasn't aware your Master, the Tohsaka brat, had a sister." Medea blinked when she remembered something she had gathered while monitoring Shirou at the school since the disastrous attempt at stealing his Command Seals. He seemed close to the Matou girl… "Is it that Sakura girl? Was she adopted out?" Archer nodded. "And how do you know this?"

"Let's just say Shirou Emiya's ideals made me into what I am…and I hate him for it."

Medea peered at Archer, something about the venom in the man's weary voice striking her as odd. And then, finally, she realised something. The hair, eye, and skin colour were different, and yet…the structure of the face was unmistakeable. "Ah, I see it now. Somehow, the boy becomes a Heroic Spirit, and you are what resulted. And yet, you hate that?"

"I'm not quite a Heroic Spirit," Archer said, looking shaken by her discerning his identity. "You can guess what I mean when I say I made a deal with the Devil."

Medea's eyes widened, catching his implication swiftly. After all, there were few entities that could grant such abilities, and given his rancour towards his past self, it was a not unreasonable assumption. "A Counter-Guardian…now I understand why you despise the boy. You hate him for basically turning himself, and by extension, yourself, into the attack dog of Alaya." Bitter laughter crept from her lips. "And I thought I went through Tartarus, after what happened to me. I guess it shows there is always someone who has had an infinitely more dismal existence than one has. No wonder I touched a nerve when I remarked on how alike you two were."

"I'm not here to compare dismal existences, Medea of Colchis," Archer remarked pointedly. "If the Grail is indeed tainted, then as a Counter-Guardian, I need to rid the Grail of said taint. Of course, my Master, despite her lack of ruthlessness, would probably not listen to even reasonable warnings. And my past self, while he might believe it, would not know how to deal with it."

"Surely you remember what it is?"

Archer shrugged. "My memories were somewhat scrambled by my summoning. Indeed, I come from a different timeline altogether, for I know for a fact that Taiga never adopted Harry Potter, or Mordred Pendragon. I don't even remember the taint, or Lancer's Master, only that they weren't his original Master."

Medea scowled at the thought of the blue-haired, blue-clad Irish Lancer attacking her just as she was ready to leave Atrum Galliasta's Workshop. Her original Master had been…dissatisfied, to say the least, with her. She was glad she used Rule Breaker to…divorce him, so to speak. But shortly after setting that hedonistic, Homunculus-fucking, kidnapping son of a bitch on fire, Lancer came down into the Workshop. She still felt aches from where that cursed spear got her. "I believe my original Master mentioned briefly being friends with Bazett Fraga McRemitz, whom he was sure was the Master of Lancer. In any case, I should ask, are you offering an alliance?"

"A future alliance. I want the time to be right before I change sides overtly. The price for my loyalty is the chance to either destroy Shirou Emiya, or his ideals, along with the continued lives of Rin Tohsaka, Sakura Matou, and the Fujimuras. That being said…I'd be wary of the Overseer. He has a stake in the Grail War beyond being the Church's little referee."

"I intend to pay him a visit before long anyway," Medea said. "Still…I should warn you, Archer…or would you prefer Shirou?"

"If you must call me by any name, it would be EMIYA."

She heard the capital letters in the name. "Very well, EMIYA. Let's put it to you bluntly. You are well aware of my legend, and how I was treated by so-called heroes, especially the one Aphrodite induced me to fall in love with. Counter-Guardian or not, the first sign of betrayal will see you suffer what I wished I could do to Jason…"

* * *

"Trace On."

With those murmured words, Shirou was doing something that he probably shouldn't be doing. Harry and Mordred had come with him to his Workshop early the next morning, along with Arturia, to witness it. In a coalescence of azure particles, a distinctive Chinese sabre appeared. Shirou hissed in pain, but he was able to create it.

"Well done, Shirou," Arturia said. "Though to recreate a Noble Phantasm through Projection is…well, foolhardy."

"I've been working on Projection for a long time, Arturia," Shirou said. "Once Sakura and Harry helped me open up my magic circuits properly, I've been making greater strides. In fact, this feels almost natural to me. It's harder for me to Project more complex things, but swords, lances and other simple weapons…well, I'm not sure I can Project Excalibur or Avalon, but I think, given time, I could certainly Project Clarent, or Lancer's Gáe Bolg."

Mordred whistled. "Didn't Mum tell you not to Project this shit anyway? I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't always obey her. And this is pretty bloody impressive. But why those sabres Fake-Tan used?"

"I dunno. It just felt…right. And…I know what this one is. Kanshou. The other one he used was Bakuya."

Arturia frowned, taking the sabre from her Master's hand, and examining it. "Kanshou and Bakuya…the paired swords forged by Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, according to the Grail. But I doubt that Archer is Gan Jiang. He seems to be able to recognise Noble Phantasms on sight, and he somehow knew my identity, if his reaction to your appearance is anything to go by, Mordred."

Mordred nodded, having told her sire about this. "There's something about him that's familiar. I can't place my finger on it, and that's fucking frustrating. Rin's a pain, but she's not like the typical Magus, but Archer might just act out on his own. Anyway, Father…I need to spar with you. Not like we promised, but…I need training." She held up her hand, showing the ring. "If Zelretch was right, and this helps boost my abilities, then I need to get back up to snuff, so to speak."

Arturia smiled at her child. "I understand. I have to say, given what I saw before, your skills have indeed improved. It is your strength more than anything else that needs improving, or rather, recovering."

"Yeah, well…that damned vampire reckoned that, due to the damage done by Rhongomyniad, my muscles were used to help regenerate my organs while I was kept in stasis. At least that's what he and Waver said," Mordred said. "By the way, you met Waver during the last Grail War, didn't you?"

"Yes, indeed. He was a rather…precocious young man, and for all his lack of physical strength and experience, he and Iskandar appeared to have something of a rapport," Arturia said rather wistfully.

"Yeah, I saw the before and after pics. He's still a beanpole, but he's much taller and more confident. Hey, if things work out after this Grail War, maybe you can see him!"

"Perhaps. However, winning this Grail War is still uncertain," Arturia said.

"Yes. The problem is, Medea knows your identity and Mordred's," Harry said. "In addition, she may target Shirou again, as a soft target. Not to mention that we need to find out who Lancer's Master is. I'll call Zelretch, see if he can help us, as well as see if there's any light he can shed on whatever the taint within the Grail is."

"Would he know?" Shirou asked.

"He helped create the Holy Grail War along with the Makiris, von Einzberns, and Tohsakas. In fact, I think he's got the Tohsakas working on some project for him, some sort of powerful weapon or Mystic Code that can harness the Second True Magic to project energy. He mentioned it idly once when we brought up Rin. Anyway, Zelretch is probably the only person alive who might have a clue, and who might be helpful. Most Magi are tightlipped, and the von Einzberns and Matous are especially so. Rin could help, but I doubt she knows anything." Harry pulled out a phone.

"He can phone up the Wizard Marshall?" Shirou asked.

Mordred shrugged. "Yeah. Oi, Harry, can I have the phone after you?"

"No, Mordred. I want to have a useful conversation with him. You can threaten him the next time we're in London."

"Right. Come summer holidays, we're heading to England!" Mordred said with a vicious grin. "Anyway, who said anything about threatening him? I've still got those Black Keys that Ciel chick gave us after she came to deal with that vampire that came here. I've been saving those for a rainy day, when Zelretch pisses me off enough to make me want to sodomise him with them."

"Wait, wait…there was a vampire in Fuyuki?" Shirou asked.

"Remember that gang war a year ago?" Mordred asked as Harry dialled up Zelretch. "That was actually some noob of a Dead Apostle feeding off Gramps' guys. For yakuza, they're actually pretty decent guys. Anyway, Arc was there, as well as one of her rivals, an Executor from the Church's Burial Agency. When she ain't on the job, Ciel's actually pretty nice. Anyway, she gave us some Black Keys to stash away. Actually, maybe you could see if you can Project one of those."

"Really?"

"Black Keys are really useful against Dead Apostles and the like." But as Mordred spoke on, Harry finally got onto Zelretch.

" _Harry, do you know what time it is?_ " Zelretch's voice asked with mock tiredness and irritation.

"After that stunt you pulled, I'm out of fucks to give. Besides, you don't actually sleep that much, do you?"

" _Actually, I do. Given that I'm a centuries-old vampire with an elderly appearance, I need a surfeit of beauty sleep. However, given your tone, I presume there's something going on._ "

"Yes. A few things. Firstly, we're concerned about Lancer's Master. They've been ordering him to murder any witnesses. I was wondering if you knew who that was."

" _Normally, I shouldn't bandy about such information, but that is indeed out of character. Lancer's Master was Bazett Fraga McRemitz._ "

Harry frowned. He had met the Irish redhead briefly in Clock Tower while over for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. And he knew of her reputation. While ruthless in putting down any Sealing Designates or other targets of the Magus Association, she was no Magus Killer like Kiritsugu Emiya was. "Do you think she's been suborned or Lancer has been stolen from her?"

" _Possibly._ "

"If Caster's Master, the original, is from Clock Tower, then he's probably dead too. Caster has a new Master now, a non-Magus and a school teacher."

" _Hmm. Caster's original Master was probably Atrum Galliasta. You probably don't know of him. He's the Magi equivalent of_ nouveau riche, _with all the arrogance that term implies. He's a competent alchemist, but a third rate Magus who relies on kidnapping and human trafficking to supply him with people to turn into concentrated mana crystals_."

"The Caster is doing almost as bad, putting people into comas to supply her with mana. That being said, there's another problem. We think there's something wrong with the Holy Grail itself."

There was silence on the other end for a time, before Zelretch admitted, " _I've suspected that for the past decade. I only had suspicions, due to what happened during the Fuyuki Fire, as well as other circumstances._ "

Harry frowned at Zelretch's admission, but looked over at Arturia. "We actually have an eyewitness for what happened. Arturia has been re-summoned as Shirou's Servant. She said Kiritsugu Emiya used his last remaining Command Seals to force her to destroy the Grail. In addition, the park where what was destroyed used to be is filled with malice and darkness, according to Arturia. She doesn't know much else, though."

" _Hmm. Well, unfortunately, any attempt I would make to try and stall the Grail War to investigate the Grail will only cause protest from the von Einzberns and the Matou. Although I don't care about politics per se, swooping in to declare that the Holy Grail is somehow faulty would be met with incredulity at best. At least without evidence. There is some circumstantial evidence. The Grail should not summon anti-heroes, that is, corrupted and dark, even evil heroes, and yet, Gilles de Rais was summoned as a Caster ten years ago, as a murderous madman. Yet before that, every other Grail War had normal heroes. I don't know why it was caused…but I have a sneaking suspicion._ "

"Any suspicion would be better than none," Harry said.

" _Well, during the Third Holy Grail War, the von Einzberns tried to game the system, summoning an irregular class that they thought would be their trump card. The class was Avenger, and the Servant they tried to summon under that class was Angra Mainyu._ "

"Angra Mainyu?"

" _The Devil, in a way. The devil figure of Zoroastrianism, to be exact, sometimes known as Ahriman. Of course, summoning deities should not be possible, normally, but the von Einzberns summoned something as a Servant, albeit a weak one that died quickly. I only bring this up because, in all my years of pondering possibilities of how the Grail could have been corrupted, it was only that that sprang to mind. It is possible that the Magus Killer's actions destroyed the taint, but as it was only the Lesser Grail that was targeted rather than the Greater Grail, that may be overly optimistic. Then again, I cannot say with any certainty how dangerous it is. For all we know, the Fuyuki Fire was the worst that could happen…or it could be merely a foretaste. As a certain Mad-Eye Moody might say, Constant Vigilance is required._ "

Harry nodded. Still, he wasn't sure he could get any more information from the vampire. Between Lancer's true Master potentially being _hors de combat_ and this new information about the Grail, though, he knew things were getting bad.

But there was one thing he wasn't looking forward to later this morning, something he knew he had to do. He needed to confront Sakura, and find out the truth about her sister…

 **CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it. Medea and Archer are plotting, and Harry, Mordred, Arturia and Shirou have found out some truths.**

 **Now, I didn't actually intend to write this chapter this way. Most of this story was going to be from the three Fujimuras' perspectives. However, writing from the perspective of Medea was something I enjoyed in** ** _Light the Blue Touch Paper and Run Like Hell_** **and** ** _Separated at Birth_** **, so I thought I'd write for her here, and get a little into her headspace. She's still a villain, but she's also prudent. She has to be as a Caster anyway, but she's also checking the Fujimuras' warning. Archer approaching her behind Rin's back was something I decided to sort of diverge things away from UBW canon, as was her discerning his true identity.**

 **I also wanted Archer's antagonism to be lessened, or at least textured. He can accept that Shirou may be potentially changing away from the ideals that led him to become EMIYA, but he's still set on his mission. Plus, Archer had a lot of chances to kill Shirou, long before he makes a more concerted effort at Ryuudou after the first battle against Medea. It's pretty obvious, aside from his picking his moment, that he's looking for opportunities to deter Shirou. He's aware by now that, in this timeline, Shirou and Sakura are an item, and he does want Sakura to find happiness.**

 **Also, bringing in Zelretch to explain what is wrong with the Grail was risky. I try not to make him omniscient in my stories lately, so as in a few others I have done, I have him suspect something is wrong with the Grail, but he's not sure how much of a risk it poses, though he does suspect the cause, Avenger. Plus, he's probably giving information in order to avoid the inevitable arse-kicking he's gonna get at Mordred's hands…he hopes.**

 **Anyway, next chapter, which may be a while coming, the Fujimuras, Shirou and Arturia learn the truth about Sakura's parentage…**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	15. Chapter 14: The Former Tohsaka

**CHAPTER 14:**

 **THE FORMER TOHSAKA**

Mordred grit her teeth with irritation, even anger, and she knew her father was feeling the same way, even with her usual stoicism, after Harry related the news. True, all Zelretch had offered them was circumstantial evidence, but Mordred could feel it in her gut that Avenger, this Angra Mainyu, was going to be a problem. And her father agreed. Besides, as much as Mordred wanted to spar her father, she also wanted her father to get her wish.

Shirou was perhaps more calm and practical. Which was why he was currently bustling around the kitchen, cooking up the food, with Taiga and Sakura on their way. "So, how can we deal with this if Zelretch's information is good?"

"It may be that Excalibur could remove the taint if a Command Seal was used to boost its power," Arturia said. "But I need to target the Lesser Grail proper for that. I may need Avalon for that as well. Perhaps part of the reason for the Grail not being purged or destroyed was that I was struggling against your father's Command Seals. And the Lesser Grail won't be primed enough unless most of the Servants are vanquished. Informing Medea was risky, but if she is willing to cooperate…"

"I doubt it," Mordred said with a scowl. "She's like Morgan. Not as evil…she actually cares about Kuzuki, I could tell. There's no brainwashing or anything, just a bond, whereas that bitch of a mother had no human feelings anymore in the end. And…there's something in her. Like me. She's single-minded, and has been betrayed so many times, well, she doesn't know anything else. I didn't realise it until she pointed it out. I don't think she's gonna do anything any way but her way. Don't get me wrong, if she finds something wrong with the Grail, I reckon she'd try to fix it. But cooperate? Yeah, it'd be more likely for me to French-kiss the entire Knights of the Round Table while wearing a girly dress before that'd happen. And that includes Guinevere and Merlin."

Harry snorted with laughter at Mordred's pronouncement. As much as she tolerated wearing school uniforms, Mordred never really liked wearing girly clothing. While her gender identification issues were mostly gone, she was very much a tomboy to the bone, and God help anyone who called her girly. "They'd probably love it, though," Harry remarked. "You're a great kisser, Mordred."

"Only 'cause I've practised on you," Mordred said, smirking at Harry, before her face fell. "Anyway, the upshot is, if there is a taint on the Grail, we can't rely on anyone else. Sakura's probably still under her gramps' thumb, I'm not sure I trust Illya yet, and while I trust Rin, I don't trust Fake-Tan."

"Speaking of Sakura…I'll need to talk to her when she has a moment. That damned priest's words are bugging me," Harry said. "He said Sakura had a sister who wouldn't acknowledge her."

"I would counsel wariness towards him, Harry," Arturia said, her emerald eyes meeting his own. "Kirei Kotomine was facing Kiritsugu at the end, I believe. He was the only Master Kiritsugu truly feared. Even if he is only an observer this time, he may delight in causing trouble with his words. Remember what he said to Shirou when he left the church."

Shirou nodded. "He said something about how a Hero of Justice needs a villain, and then said something about my wish coming true…like he was the villain. But wouldn't the Church rebuke him?"

"While I never met the man personally, save for one brief occasion, I heard enough from Irisviel to know that he may not actually care. That being said, the truth can be a more potent weapon than a lie, especially when the truth is worded in particular ways. I have not been blind to Sakura's reaction to certain things, and family seems to be something that causes her sorrow..."

* * *

Soon, Taiga arrived with her usual boisterous greeting, as did Sakura, with her usual, more subdued but happy greeting. Harry and Sakura decided to do the cooking. Harry was tempted to ask Sakura about her sister then and there, but thought it would be incredibly tactless to do so. It'd be better once everyone had a meal inside them. Even Medusa was opting to try a meal.

However, afterwards, as Shirou cleaned up, Harry looked at Sakura. "Sakura…we need to talk. We were told that you have a sister."

Sakura had a major deer-in-the-headlights look, before an unusual expression came over her features. " ** _Had_** a sister," she said. And that was startling to Harry, the sheer hatred and resentment that was in that single sentence, matched on her features. In all his years of knowing her, Harry had never seen any negative emotion barring fear and sorrow on her face, and perhaps the occasional annoyance. But hatred and resentment? This was new.

"…Is she dead?" Taiga asked softly.

Sakura merely shook her head. "No…but we are no longer sisters. Who told you this?"

"The bastard priest when we dumped that worthless prick of a brother of yours at the Church," Mordred said. "He said you had a sister who doesn't acknowledge your existence."

Sakura nodded mutely. "I was not born a Matou," she eventually confessed. "I was born into another Magus family…with an older sister."

"And what, they adopted you out?" Taiga asked incredulously.

"It's not that simple," Arturia said. "Magi inherit a special cluster of magic circuits known as a Magic Crest from the head of the family. It is both a strengthened version of their family magecraft and a culmination of their life's work. This is part of the reason why older Magi families have such snobbery against younger lines, as it is part of the greater connection to magic and magecraft, or at least those of Magi. Merlin spoke to me of this."

"I don't get it," Taiga complained.

"I do. Dad spoke to me of it once, saying his Crest was corrupted by sickness," Shirou said. "The Magic Crest is only given to the chosen heir, and there've been brutal fighting in families, even murders, over a Crest. He said something about how the Edelfelts can share their Crest or something like that, due to their sorcery trait or something. So, that means you were adopted out to the Matous?"

Sakura nodded morosely. "…I was five. I was sent away with Zouken Matou and…" She shivered, Medusa placing a protective arm around her shoulder, before glaring at the others.

"I failed my own sisters in life," the Gorgon said quietly. "I refuse to fail Sakura. By stopping Shinji, you may have saved others, but Sakura is being pressured into fighting by Zouken. She doesn't need old wounds opened up."

Mordred shrugged. "Hey, Shirou got my father summoned by accident, and that opened up old wounds for us. Besides…we're Sakura's friends, no matter what. Why do you think we got that bonehead to realise she had a thing for him? Because she deserves some happiness. Anyway, I know what it's like to not be acknowledged by family. Just say the word, and we'll give her a much-needed spanking."

"No, don't!" Sakura protested. "I…she's not my sister. Not anymore. She wouldn't acknowledge it, even if I did."

Shirou finished his washing up, and gently went over to Sakura, Medusa allowing him to get close. "Sakura…you do know what my dream is, to be a Hero of Justice. It goes especially for you. I don't want to see you so sad all the time. Harry, Mordred, Taiga…they all call me clueless, and while I'll admit, it's like that when it comes to love…I'm not. Every time I ask why you're so sad, you say it's nothing. I know you're lying, but I never pressed further. Please, Sakura…I don't care who your sister is, or what's been done to you. I care more about you being so sad when you should be happy. Sometimes, that's what secrets do, even the ones we hide not because we want to deceive, but because we want to save others pain. Are you worried that we'd go and attack your sister?"

"…A little. I know you wouldn't, but Harry and Mordred…"

"Look, is your sister actually hurting you?" Mordred asked. "I mean, beyond not acknowledging you?" Sakura shook her head. "Then I'll just tear her a new arsehole verbally, not physically. Sakura, we're friends. Not only that, but I'm Mordred Pendragon. And while my father and I may not agree on everything about what it means to be king…we agree on one thing. We help those who can't help themselves, we take on their burdens as our own, to a point."

Sakura looked up at the tomboyish knight, and then at her sire, who nodded, giving a reassuring smile. Eventually, Sakura dropped the bombshell.

"…I was born Sakura Tohsaka."

Of course, this surprised everyone. Eventually, Harry broke the silence. "Rin? Rin's your sister?" he asked incredulously, too shocked to feel angered.

Taiga, after a moment, added, "…You don't look that much like her. Around the face, I mean. I guess the hair and eye colour was something the Matous did."

"She favours the face of her mother, Aoi," Medusa said. "…I saw parts of her early childhood through the dream cycle. Rin favoured her father somewhat more. And Rin, for all her faults, is less to blame than her parents. Her father sold her to the Matous, and her mother stood by without a word of protest. Rin's only faults was that she was a child, and obedient to a fault to the wishes of her father."

"Medusa?" Sakura asked, looking up at the Gorgon's pale pink eyes, with the strange rectangular pupils.

"Sakura, while I was with Shinji, I watched you and Rin. I spotted her behaviour. I can see the way she looks at you when she thinks you are not looking. She has a sense of longing. I believe she wishes to truly reunite with you as a sister, but cannot, as you are now a Matou, and she a Tohsaka. Take it from someone who has lived with two sisters, and knows of the ups and downs of such relationships. In truth, my devouring Stheno and Euryale as the Gorgon monster was the greatest of my failures, for I became monstrous in pursuit of protecting them." Her eyes, behind the glasses that were her transformed Breaker Gorgon, flitted to Shirou. "Admittedly, I have only met these people a few times. But I believe they are true friends to you. They would still remain friends, no matter what they learned."

Medusa's odd wording had Harry suspicious, as was Sakura's response. "…I don't…never mind. Maybe you're right about Rin. But…I don't think we can be sisters again. Too much has gone by."

Arturia cleared her throat. "Sakura? I do not believe that. There are only two times when it is truly too late to reconcile. One is when you truly pass the point of no return when it comes to morality, and the other is when one of the offended parties dies, the Throne of Heroes and the Holy Grail War aside. Mordred and I are yet to fully reconcile…but we are approaching that point. We understand each other far better now than we ever did in life. We went to war over our differences. And yet, we are reconciling. It is not impossible for it to happen between you and Rin, then. And even if you do not, then remember that you have friends who choose to stand by your side, no matter what. Shirou is a fine young man, and I am still surprised that he was raised that way by his father. Harry is also a fine young man, even if somewhat rough around the edges. And Mordred…you two are close. You can count on her protection, no matter what, for amongst her virtues is her tenacity and stubbornness, as well as a desire to protect those who need protection."

A sad smile touched Sakura's lips, though there was a marring of scepticism to them, Harry realised. Not because she didn't believe they were capable of trying to protect her, but because she thought they couldn't succeed. "…Uncle Kariya thought he could save me, using Berserker. But he failed. I saw him die."

"…Your uncle…he was the one who was the Master of Berserker? Lancelot?" Arturia asked. Sakura cringed away, but nodded reluctantly. "…Mayhap he died while I battled Lancelot. I wondered why my former knight faltered shortly before I inflicted the last wound on him. He was in the Holy Grail War to save you?" Again, Sakura nodded. "He did so for a worthy cause, then, and I wish I could have met him myself. Perhaps that is why Lancelot was drawn to him. Because, despite being reduced to a maddened beast without reason, Lancelot presumably retained some of his virtues. He'd never turn down a girl in distress. Your uncle shared those qualities."

The sad smile stayed on Sakura's lips. "You think so?"

"I never met the man, but I knew Lancelot. Even after his fall from grace, I considered him a knight who was willing to help those who needed it. And you have Medusa by your side. While I do not know her as well as I did Lancelot, what I have seen so far, her actions at Shinji's command aside, shows her to be protective of you. Just because your uncle did not succeed does not mean you are not worth it. Your father, I believe his name was Tokiomi. Magus rules or not, he was a fool to discard you, to not try to raise you alongside Rin. True, I have made mistakes as a parent myself, but I tried to give them recognition as knights or whatever they wished to achieve." As Mordred cleared her throat pointedly, Arturia added, "Some…problems of communication aside."

Mordred snorted. "Pretty big problems," she muttered under her breath. "But Father's right. It's never too late. We're trying to patch things up. You and Rin…there has to be something you two can do. Besides, I think she's tryin' way too hard to be the perfect Magus. She's got the work ethic down, but not the actual lack of ethics, no matter what she thinks. And that's not a bad thing. I hear all that crap about Magi having to walk hand in hand with death when they use magecraft, or that they have to discard all their morals in pursuit of higher callings, higher truths. That's bullshit. Unless you're already a psychopath or something, it'll eat you up inside. I mean, Father had to throw away her human feelings, keep them behind a mask, try to seem like the perfect king…and look what happened." She shook her head. "If I had the Grail, and it wouldn't mean leaving my friends behind, I'd use the wish to go back in time and take Father's place and take Caliburn from the stone myself. Because being king hurt my father. It killed her by inches. I only really realised that in hindsight. Lancelot's affair with Guinevere, my rebellion, Tristan being a dick about how the King can't understand human feelings…" She shook her head.

"You really do love her, don't you?" Shirou asked.

Mordred smiled somewhat ruefully. "What I feel for my father is complicated. Love's in there, along with so many other things. But quite frankly, I'd sooner have her by your side than any other Servant. Sorry for the offence, Medusa, but I didn't know you in life. Plus, you're an infamous anti-hero."

"I take little offence, Mordred," Medusa said. "You and your associates at least treat me as something other than a monster. I find that…refreshing. You and your sire remind me a little of my sisters. You are like a somewhat more boisterous Euryale, and Arturia is somewhat like Stheno. They loved to tease me, to tell the truth. The greatest tragedies in our stories are oft-times those things we do to our loved ones. The pair of you, at least, have a second chance. I don't know whether the Grail can give me that."

Taiga scoffed. "That's the thing about heroes. People love to see a hero fall almost as much as they love to see them triumph. Anyway, while we can trust Rin, Archer's another matter. So, Sakura, Medusa, I need to ask you to keep an eye on these troublemakers. God knows they can't keep out of trouble."

Sakura giggled. "Oh, I already knew they were like that. They can't help themselves…"

 **CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Okay, I was surprised I managed to squeeze this one out so soon after the previous chapter. That being said, don't expect the next one out any time soon, as I'm not sure whether to do more 'filler', or else go back to the plot proper. I hope you've enjoyed this so far, regardless.**

 **Now, one of the reasons why I am developing Medusa here, apart from the fact that she's one of my favourite characters from** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **, is that she gets barely any character development at all in** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **. She appears once in a fight, pretty much, and then gets unceremoniously killed off by Kuzuki offscreen. And while that goes to establish Kuzuki as a genuine badass, it also does a grave disservice to Medusa. Even her screentime in the** ** _Fate_** **route is better used, and I can't wait to watch the first** ** _Heaven's Feel_** **movie (which is coming out on DVD in Australia very soon as of writing and posting this) to see how her, Sakura and Zouken, to say nothing of Hassan of the Cursed Arm, get used in that storyline. I have plans for Medusa. Spoiler warning, she will still die…but unlike her canon death in** ** _Unlimited Blade Works_** **, she's going out with a bang, not a whimper through a broken neck.**

 **Also, I'm still considering potential crossovers with** ** _Fate/Grand Order_** **and** ** _Fate/Extra_** **. Of course, the moment I get** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **on DVD, I am definitely doing a crossover with that, probably based on one of my challenges I posted. So, Mordred fans, there'll be more Moedred to come.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Guest** **(regarding Black Wing): You raise a fair point, which is why I removed references to him in the previous chapter.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	16. Chapter 15: Bad Omens

**CHAPTER 15:**

 **BAD OMENS**

Thankfully, it was the weekend, and the Fujimuras, Shirou and Arturia were staying at Shirou's place for the Saturday, with Sakura and Medusa opting to stay as well. But then, the phone rang sometime after breakfast, and Harry answered it as Shirou sparred with the Pendragons. "Hello, Emiya Residence, Harry Fujimura speaking."

" _Ah, Harry Fujimura, I was hoping to catch you. I couldn't contact you at home, so Souichirou managed to find Shirou Emiya's number._ "

Harry frowned. The sultry purr was that of Medea. "I'm not sure what I'm more surprised by, the fact that you're using a telephone, given what eras you're from, or that Ryuudou Temple has one. It is a monastery, after all."

A chuckle echoed down the line. " _The monks may believe in isolating themselves from the world, true, but a telephone is a modern convenience that they do need, mostly to contact those they need supplies from. And I doubted you would look favourably on my turning up in person. But enough about that. I went to the park last night as you suggested, and I have confirmed the presence of…_ _ **something**_ _in the area. What it is, I know not, and that disturbs me. I am, after all, a Magus from the Age of Gods. A curse or malevolent contamination that defies analysis by one such as myself has to be. I was taught by Circe, who was taught by Hecate, so for it to defy my analysis…well, I must admit to being worried._ "

"You should be. Medea, while we are enemies, if you can find a way to remove the contamination from the Grail, assuming it exists, then we may need your help." He explained what Zelretch had told him and the others.

Silence reigned on the other end of the line, before Medea said, " _While I cannot say for sure that that is the cause, it certainly fits the facts. As Angra Mainyu was summoned by the Grail, he must have been human at some point, or else a fallen deity or a demigod like myself. Given how weak he must have been to fall so swiftly in the Third Holy Grail War, I would suggest the first option, but somehow, his malice and malevolence must have tainted the Greater Grail. If the Master of Saber did order the Grail to be attacked, then he must have realised something. However, I will continue to investigate on my own cognisance. We are certainly not allies, and you and your friends seem to object to how I take my mana supplies._ "

Harry felt his anger flare up at Medea's cavalier words. "They're innocent people, Medea, or at least normal people. If they were criminals, worse than Gramps' yakuza gang, I'd be fine with it. But you're stockpiling more mana than you need, taking it from people who need it more than you do."

A bitter chuckle echoed down the line, rueful and regretful. " _Once I have purified and claimed the Grail, it won't matter. If it can grant any wish, then I will be born anew, and see if I can use Souichirou's wish to revive the people you so ardently defend. He has no wish of his own, save to fulfil my own, and I am grateful to him for it. I deserve a second chance, more than any other Servant in this Grail War. And if you get in my way, you or any of your friends, I_ _ **will**_ _deal with you. I am desperate, and desperate people do desperate things, as you surely know. So do yourself a favour, boy, and stay out of my way, or be prepared to fall into Tartarus._ " Then, an engaged tone chirped up the line.

Well, that was better than nothing, Harry reflected as he hung up. If Medea was concentrating on the Grail, then maybe she wouldn't launch any attacks on them. She was still harming people, but maybe they had some breathing room. Which meant finding Lancer and his new Master could be made more of a priority. And maybe they could find Bazette.

"Problems?" Sakura asked, coming up to him, Medusa in tow.

"Believe it or not, Medea knows how to use a telephone. She's aware of the contamination, but she's refusing any kind of alliance," Harry said. "I know this is a long shot, but Medusa, do you have any means of analysing things by magecraft?"

The Rider Servant shook her head. "I am a Rider, not a Caster. All I know is that that park is indeed filled with malice."

"Right. Well, you concentrate on keeping Sakura safe, then," Harry said. "We'll worry about what to do about you later."

"…Harry, I need to speak about something," Sakura said quietly. "Shortly before I summoned Medusa…I met a man who seemed to know something about me. He had blonde hair…and red eyes, with slitted pupils. He said…hurtful things. But…he seemed powerful, almost like a Servant."

Harry frowned. Blonde hair, crimson eyes…Harry remembered the descriptions Waver gave of the Servants from the previous Grail War. And the blonde hair and crimson eyes reminded him of something. "This guy…was he wearing golden armour? Had an arrogant, nasty demeanour?"

"He had the demeanour, but he was wearing normal clothes. Why?"

"…Shit. I hope I'm wrong," Harry said. "Can you draw him?"

Sakura took the pencil and paper he got from a drawer, and nodded, beginning to sketch a face. By the time she was finished, the Pendragons, Taiga and Shirou were just coming in. Arturia's eyes went to the sketch, and they widened in horror. "…Where did you see this man?" she demanded quietly.

"I've met him a couple of times. He said…bad things," Sakura said.

"It's him, isn't it?" Harry asked Arturia.

Arturia nodded grimly. "If by 'him', you mean the Archer of the previous Grail War, Gilgamesh of Uruk, then yes. His hairstyle is different, but that is him. But…how do you know him? When did you meet him?" she asked Sakura.

"Only a week or so ago."

"Impossible. He's a Servant from the previous Grail War," Medusa said. "Surely he would have dissipated by now."

"Umm, it is possible," Sakura said. "It's very mana intensive, but a Servant can be retained as a familiar outside of the Grail War, though it's only theoretical."

"Is this a bad thing?" Shirou asked.

Arturia shot Shirou a look. "Gilgamesh was a powerful opponent. What is more, he was arrogant, prideful, egotistical, and vicious, without a shred of honour, valour or chivalry. Iskandar, for all his faults, at least had his own sense of honour and valour. Gilgamesh, though…he believes everything in the world to be his, and he decided that I would be his wife, regardless of any say I had in the matter. If he is the same Servant, we are in very real danger. He could even be a threat to Heracles."

Mordred scoffed. "How?"

"He could open up portals in space through which he could fire Noble Phantasms, often the initial versions of ones throughout history," Arturia explained.

"Waver mentioned him, even described him," Harry said. "He said something about how Gilgamesh had an ultimate Noble Phantasm, Ea, a sort of proto-sword that looked like a drill or a lance. It unleashed a blast called Enuma Elish, and it destroyed Iskandar's Reality Marble."

"An Anti-World Noble Phantasm?" Arturia hissed with horror. "Such a thing exists?"

"That's a bad thing, right?" Taiga asked.

"Really bad," Harry said to his mother. "Generally, there's Anti-Personnel, Anti-Army, Anti-Fortress…to put it into perspective, Mordred's Noble Phantasm Clarent Blood Arthur is technically Anti-Army, meaning it could wipe out a whole bunch of people, and indeed a few buildings, but it could probably also take down a skyscraper at full power. Arturia's Excalibur is an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm when charged up fully, and could take out a good chunk of the city."

Arturia nodded. "During the previous Grail War, the Caster summoned a massive demonic creature. Anti-Army Noble Phantasms had little effect, and I had to use Excalibur to annihilate it."

"Wow, I think I remember that. I remember being out and about, when I saw this big, beautiful pillar of golden light explode into the sky from the river area. They claimed there was some big movie shoot or something," Taiga said. "So, what, an Anti-World weapon could destroy the world?"

"Potentially," Arturia said. "But many Noble Phantasms can be charged to varying degrees to suit the battle, as well as the terrain and the possibility of bystanders getting caught in the attack. Though I would not believe Gilgamesh to be one to take that into consideration, given his attitude, and the way he fought."

"In other words, he's another complication, and a big fucking one at that," Mordred remarked bitterly. "And if he knows you're around…"

"I know," Arturia said.

* * *

Sakura had decided that, today, she and Shirou would be having a date, along with Arturia. Sakura didn't seem to mind having the blonde knight along as what could have been a third wheel under other circumstances. Having gotten to know Mordred beforehand, and now knowing King Arthur, she trusted the Saber Servant. Medusa would have gone along too, but they received a phone call from Illya, asking for someone to come along. Sakura, deciding that one Servant would be enough for a day's outing, especially as few would dare risk an attack in broad daylight, to say nothing about how Command Seals could summon a Servant to their side. So, she asked Medusa to keep an eye on Harry and Mordred.

Harry and Mordred had been to the forest where the Einzbern Castle was situated, so Harry could Apparate there, along with Mordred and Medusa. They were soon trudging through a forest, feeling the Bounded Fields accept them reluctantly, Medusa walking by their side. "I still feel that my Master isn't being cautious enough," Medusa said quietly. "Saber might be enough to counter any attackers, at least amongst the normal Servants, but what about Gilgamesh?"

"Look, if you want to go back to Sakura, feel free," Harry said. "I don't think this is a trap."

"Sakura ordered me to stay with you. Even without a Command Seal, I am obligated to her. And I sincerely hope Shirou keeps her happy…"

* * *

After some trekking, they made it to the Einzbern Castle, a massive manor house slash castle built in the European style. They were greeted at the door by a pair of what had to be Einzbern Homunculi, introducing themselves as Sella and Leysritt, and were sternly warned about causing trouble. They were then escorted through into a parlour, where Illya was standing by with a tea set. Heracles was standing vigil in the corner, like a silent guardian, his face ever set in a scowl.

Greetings were exchanged, and tea was poured out. "So," Mordred asked, "why didja bring us here?"

"Well, I was expecting either my little brother, or Saber," Illya said. "Though meeting Harry Potter…well, Fujimura and Mordred Pendragon aren't bad when it comes to company. I'll have to talk to Shirou later. My family will no doubt demand his death even more, so I may have to seek asylum in Fuyuki."

"Why do they want him dead?" Harry asked. "Did your father really hurt them that much?"

"Harry, my father was their best chance at winning the Grail War, and he threw it away, by all accounts. To them, that was treachery of the worst kind, as they wanted to reclaim Heaven's Feel, as you probably know. They covet the Third True Magic. The Grail War can do a somewhat limited version, as can certain Mystic Codes in our possession, but we want the full True Magic once more. My father basically spat in the faces of our family. And as he's dead…well, what's the old saying? Sins of the father?" The albino girl shook her head, her body's apparent age looking strange compared to her attitude, more adult and solemn. "And…there were other things. Things I personally went through. Part of me still resents Shirou, I can't help it. But I don't want to kill him now."

"Good," Mordred said. "I never met your father. He died before Harry found me at Hogwarts. I know of his reputation as the Magus Killer. Shirou and Harry didn't learn about that until after Kiritsugu died, though. I'm sure Shirou would love to relate anecdotes about him. It's probably just as well you invited us over. We've got some scary shit to tell you. Did you know your family summoned an abnormal Servant called Avenger in the Third Holy Grail War?"

Illya frowned. "…As a matter of fact, I do. But I fail to see…"

"We think it has a bearing on why Kiritsugu ordered Saber to nuke the Grail," Harry said. He then explained Zelretch's theory, and Medea's confirmation that something malevolent permeated the soil of the park.

Illya frowned, and for a long time, she was in silent thought. "…Let's say this theory is true, and the only reason why I'm even considering it is because the Wizard Marshall brought it up. That's scarily possible, as is Angra Mainyu contaminating the Greater Grail. You see, the Holy Grail is in two component parts. The Lesser Grail is a vessel of sorts to hold the energy of the fallen Servants, and to act as a conduit to the Greater Grail, which resides beneath Mount Enzo, which is the mountain on which Ryuudou Temple resides. The Greater Grail was partly derived from the sacrifice of Justeaze von Einzbern, a Homunculus, our very best. In a way, you could say she's my ancestor. The Greater Grail is what actually brings the Heroic Spirits from the Throne of Heroes, otherwise, the ritual would be considerably more complex and mana-consuming."

"So Angra Mainyu could, somehow, contaminate the Greater Grail?" Harry asked.

"Maybe. Or maybe my father's actions purged it. But you'd have to account for the likes of Medea being summoned," Illya mused. She then frowned as she looked to Heracles, who was gazing at Illya with his stoic gaze. After a moment, Illya said, "Heracles…he can't communicate to me like normal Servants do, but when we discussed Medea, I feel caution and wariness, but also regret and sorrow. In legend, Medea actually helped him, even after that mess with Jason."

"The problem is, that bitch is also draining the life from people in Fuyuki," Mordred snarled. "And it's gonna be hard to attack her, given that she's turned Ryuudou Temple into a fortress, and she's probably wise to our tricks."

" _Your_ tricks, perhaps, but I am sure that Heracles would give her a run for her money. True, she probably knows him better than any other Servant in this Grail War, but the reverse is true as well. If my little brother asks nicely enough, I will be more than willing to team up with him and Sakura to deal with Medea. I would even team up with the Tohsaka girl if need be."

"There's also another problem, Illya," Harry pointed out. "The Archer from the previous Grail War still exists in this world, Gilgamesh of Uruk." He then explained Sakura's sightings of Gilgamesh, as well as Waver and Arturia's anecdotes.

Illya scowled. "…A Servant from the past Grail War survived? The one who faced Arturia? But…the mana needed…it's possible for a powerful Magus to supply it, but…it's also possible that Gilgamesh has been taking mana from other people. Still, thank you for the warning. But I'm curious. Neither of you have a Servant. So why do you fight? To protect Shirou?"

"And others," Mordred said. "I may be infamous in history as a traitor to my father, but I'm still a knight. Knights protect others. I may not be chivalrous, but I still protect. And Harry…a girl back in Britain, Hermione her name was, she said that Harry had a saving people thing. And frankly, Shirou needs someone to keep him from going too far. He's borderline suicidal in saving others. It's partly what Kiritsugu put into him, and partly because he's got a fuckton of survivor's guilt from the Fuyuki Fire. What he needs is connections to others, and a realisation that sacrificing himself too willingly is only going to hurt those people. Hell, he's on a date right now with Sakura. He just isn't…well, selfish enough."

"My own Master is similar in some regards," Medusa said. "Her happiness is to make him happy. She is…not unselfish, but certainly very demure and passive."

"Hmm. I'll keep that in mind. But enough about him. Harry, you knew my father before he died…so, I'd like to hear stories about him, please…"

* * *

It was later on in the afternoon that suddenly, Medusa stiffened, and disappeared. Her only words were that her Master needed her. Harry and Mordred felt a chill of foreboding run down their spines at that. It meant that Shirou and Sakura were in trouble, along with Arturia.

Illya, after a moment, let them go, recognising that her brother was in trouble, but not before they agreed to contact each other over any potential assault on Ryuudou. Mordred and Harry had to wait until they got to the boundaries of the Einzbern Castle's Bounded Fields before they could Apparate back home. The others weren't back yet, but Harry made a hurried phone call that finally got through to them. And it wasn't good news at all. It was impossible, horrifying news that made them angry and worried and fearful in equal measure.

Somehow, Medea had stolen Arturia from Shirou.

 **CHAPTER 15 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Oh dear. Gilgamesh may have been exposed, but Medea's made her move. It pretty much happens almost like it does in UBW, save that Rin happens upon the scene with Archer, who opens up the pocket dimension as in canon. We'll look at the aftermath later. Mordred ain't gonna be happy with Arturia being kidnapped while out on the date.**

 **Illya really wanted to talk with Shirou, but talking to Harry and Mordred is a consolation prize. The former because, secretly, she was intrigued by the Boy Who Lived, as well as him being one of the last people to know her father. The latter is because, well, Illya and Moedred both have daddy issues, are both Homunculi, and Moedred is a link to Arturia.**

 **Why did Sakura send Medusa with Harry? Well, she wanted them to be protected, and thought Arturia would be enough for herself and Shirou. Yeah, more fool her, she's going to be full of self-loathing now.**

 **Anyway, I know you've heard it before, but it might be a while before the next chapter. However, it's partway written, as is a new chapter for** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **, believe it or not. In addition, given how soon I am getting the first half of** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **, at least one new fic based on that may be on the way soon. Keep an eye out on** ** _The Cauldron_** **, along with** ** _Zelretch's Collection of Alternates_** **.**

 **Review-answering time!** **thisissupposedtobeblank** **: Well, I did not know that…and maybe Moedred didn't know that either. Hilarity would doubtlessly ensue.**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: Harry and Shirou have been friends with Sakura for a while, and unlike canon (aside from** ** _Heaven's Feel_** **), Shirou actually isn't oblivious (anymore) to her feelings, and reciprocates them. Sakura appreciates that, and she's a little more confident and less demure than in canon, albeit by fairly small increments. I think she has just the tiniest touch of schadenfreude towards Rin, thinking that she's won Shirou. I also like how Medusa speaks up, and offers her own perspective. I dunno if she ever does that in canon, behind the scenes or not, but I'd like to think, given her own experience with Stheno and Euryale, she knows sisterly relationships. But I'd also like to think that Arturia praising Kariya (despite the fact that Kariya's Servant traumatised her) helped. To Harry and Moedred, as well as Medusa, Sakura is a little sister figure they want to protect. To Taiga and Arturia, she's more like a daughter. It goes without saying about Shirou's feelings on the matter.**

 **Guest** **(on the folly of Magi and their inheritance issues): I'm guessing this is something Kinoku Nasu went into in greater detail for the background material or even for the original visual novel, and their attitude, remember, is considerably more cold-blooded than Potterverse wizards. Also, keep in mind that the inheritance issues weren't the only ones: Tokiomi, perversely, wanted to ensure Sakura was adopted by a friendly or allied family to protect her. Why he (knowingly, according to Nasu) adopted her to the rape-worm cultivators, I've no idea…**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	17. Chapter 16: Resolve

**CHAPTER 16:**

 **RESOLVE**

Harry and Mordred hurried over to the Tohsaka residence when they learned Shirou was recuperating there, along with Sakura, Medusa and, apparently, Taiga. Once they arrived, Harry and Mordred found him unconscious in one of the bedrooms of the Tohsaka manor, Taiga and Sakura looking on worriedly, with Rin frowning at him in the corner. They soon got the story from a distraught Sakura: apparently Medea kidnapped Taiga and used her as leverage to try and force Shirou to hand over Arturia, forcing them within a Bounded Field that cut them off from reality (including Medusa). Shirou and Arturia tried to rescue her, but Medea, in an ambush attack, managed to use her Noble Phantasm, a ritual dagger called Rule Breaker.

Sakura described its function in detail, as Medea had bragged about it. It dissolved many magical things, ranging from reducing magical items to their component parts…to severing the pact between Master and Servant. And now, Arturia was Medea's Servant.

"Dammit," Mordred snarled after the story was told, shaking with barely suppressed anger…and worry. "He should be glad he's injured, because I'd beat the shit out of him for allowing Father to get kidnapped! Now that bitch has two Servants working for her! I shoulda been there!"

"…You actually do care for her, don't you?" Rin asked.

Mordred whirled on Rin. "Of course I fucking do! Even when I rebelled against Father, I loved her with all my heart! I just…I've grown closer to my father these past days than I ever did at Camelot. And now, she's been taken away by that fucking hag! She's the only one left from those days, Rin! We understand each other, especially now, because we fought together! Not just against each other, but side by side. I…I…" Her voice caught in her throat, before she said, "Excuse me, I need to go wreck something. Get that fake-tanned Archer out here, I need a whipping boy, and Shirou's out of commission."

With that, she stormed out, tears leaking from her eyes. While she didn't mind Harry or Taiga or Sakura seeing her tears, Rin was another matter. As she made her way to the back door, Archer materialised alongside her. "I'm sorry about what happened," he said, and Mordred was surprised at the sincerity in his tone, though she wasn't sure she cared. "But she isn't dead yet."

"Shut the fuck up, Fake-Tan," Mordred said as she opened the back door and stormed into the courtyard below, much of it overgrown. "I need to beat the shit out of something, and you'll do nicely. You can take it, I reckon."

Archer seemed to contemplate it, before smiling. Not his usual sardonic expression, but…there was something strangely nostalgic about it. Even so, she still wanted to beat it off his face, and so summoned Clarent and Secret of Pedigree, and dashed forward.

In a flare of light, he Projected a sword, a familiar one. Clarent. And he blocked her quite readily. As their swords clashed, he said, "For someone who isn't a Servant, and even in your anger, you're doing well."

"I was swinging a sword for most of my life," Mordred snarled. "Now shut up and fight!"

"I'd rather talk if it's all the same to you," Archer said, a little too calmly. "I have to admit, I was probably a little harsh on you earlier, but Arturia and her ideals were things I admired for much of my life. To meet the one who mortally wounded her at Camlann…well, I wasn't happy."

"Yeah, well, you didn't live during that time! You didn't see what she was really like!" Mordred retorted. As her anger cleared away a little, she noticed something. Archer was leaving gaps in his defence…and yet, when she tried to exploit that, he managed to counter her attacks. She instead struck from another angle, and Archer leapt back. "…She was cold. A monolith. Perfection incarnate. I loved her…and yet, she was inhuman, by choice. Perfect and distant and aloof…is it any wonder they flocked to my banner? And look what happened with Lancelot!"

"Her perfection was the result of her ideals, to become the perfect king, and she drowned in those very ideals," Archer remarked. "If she truly was perfect, then she would not have had a desire for the Grail. In truth, do you know what that wish she wants is?"

"The better question is, how do you know?" Mordred asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You know more than you're letting on, and if I have to beat the answer out of you, _then I will!_ " With a roar, she leapt at Archer once more, deliberately avoiding the openings in his defence, only to find him adapting.

"Originally, Arturia wanted the wish to redo her reign," Archer said. "Even if that meant spitting on the sacrifices of those who fought for her."

Mordred scowled. "Or maybe she didn't want those sacrifices to need to happen in the first place. Maybe she wanted to admit she loved me. Who are you to know what she's thinking, Fake-Tan?"

Archer sneered, before kicking at her viciously, sending her flying. She managed to land with some grace and dignity, as Archer approached. "Of course, after what happened with the Magus Killer, she changed her mind. She now wants someone else to be King of the Britons. You? No, probably not. You probably wouldn't have been a total disaster as a king, but you're impulsive and reckless. Anyway, without her becoming King, you might never have existed, unless it was either as her child, or Morgan's."

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Mordred snarled, getting to her feet. "How the fuck would you know?"

"Win against me, and maybe you'll find out," Archer said, maddeningly calmly.

Eventually, Mordred calmed herself with a gargantuan effort. "I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to piss me off so you can win."

"No." Suddenly, Archer was next to her, another sword at her throat. Not Clarent this time…but Caliburn. "I don't _need_ to piss you off in order to win. I needed to piss you off to get you to shed as much of your anger as possible. That, and I wanted you to realise some things about your father, and yourself. And I wanted you to realise something about ideals. Sometimes, we can become so obsessed with them, it leads us down a garden path to Hell, just like good intentions can. Your father did that. And one day, so will Shirou. You and your paramour, along with Sakura, may be diverting him, but is it enough?"

"Why the fuck do you care? You want him dead. I can see it in your eyes," Mordred sneered.

"I want any threats to my Master's life taken care of…but I also can tell how much he means to Sakura. In a perverse way, Arturia getting abducted did him a favour. There's no need for him to be out in the crossfire between Servants."

"…Won't stop him from gettin' involved anyway," Mordred retorted, before batting away Caliburn with Clarent. "Anyway, what's with you making all those fake copies of swords, huh?"

Archer looked down at Caliburn, before letting it dissolve. "It's one of the few things I am good at."

" _I am the bone of my sword_ ," Mordred said. "You said that before firing that Noble Phantasm arrow at Medea."

"Well, let me ask you something, Mordred. Can a copy, a so-called fake, surpass the original? And if not…why do you fight to surpass your father?"

"…What did you say?" Mordred asked in a low growl.

"In many regards, at least physically, you are a copy of Arturia. And you wanted to be king, just like she was. Morgan created you as a fake, a copy, a tool to wreak havoc against Arturia. Even your sword, Clarent, like Caliburn, had a ritual significance, though instead of anointing kings, it was of conferring knighthood. So, do you think you can surpass her?"

Mordred fought down the surge of anger she felt with difficulty. This smug fuck with the fake tan was goading her, but she also knew he was doing so for a reason. Not anything as pedestrian as trolling, provocation for the sake of provocation, but he was trying to get her to think. Eventually, she said, "Maybe I can't. But I don't wanna be king anymore, not if it means leaving Harry and everyone else behind. Even if I can't surpass Father, I'll make sure she can be proud of me. Besides, I've surpassed her in one thing already. I at least know how to live my life." Then, a vicious grin lit up her features. "Anyway, I get to rescue her. A knight rescuing a fair damsel…irony abounds."

Archer, after a moment, shook his head, chuckling ruefully. "You know, I like you now, Mordred. Even though you hold to an ideal, you're more flexible about it than some others. Still, how are you going to be able to rescue your father from Medea?"

"Look, Berserker's Master has offered to help deal with Medea," Mordred pointed out. "Between Rider and Berserker, along with you, to say nothing of yours truly, we've got a good chance against Medea, even if she's holding Father's leash. All we need to do is to off Medea, or else get her into a position where she's forced to use her Noble Phantasm to sever the link between herself and Father. Maybe hold Kuzuki hostage. If we can get her to play nice, then, well, we could do with an extra hand to deal with Lancer, not to mention Gilgamesh. Did Sakura bring him up?"

"She did. A disturbing thing, to have one of the most powerful Heroic Spirits still amongst us. However, for now, Rin has no plans to continue our alliance, or add to it. With Arturia now in Medea's hands, Shirou has no reason to remain in the Grail War, though he doubtless will go haring off to get himself killed in his usual quixotic manner. You and Harry have no need to be in the Grail War either. You may be from the Age of Heroes, but you are no Heroic Spirit. And I do not trust the von Einzbern Master. In addition, Sakura needs Rider to protect her, and if she intends to stay with Shirou, then he will need Rider's protection as well. If Rider had been there, Arturia would not have been abducted."

"Hey, we didn't know that bitch had a Noble Phantasm that allows her to steal Servants!" Mordred snapped. "Anyway, Holy Grail War or not, that bitch made things personal. She's kidnapped my father. I don't care if we're not Masters. She took my father. And even then, all those people she put into comas…you don't know me, but I hold to at least one of the tenets of chivalry: that knights should protect the people."

"Then why rebel against your father? I ask out of curiosity."

"…You see how she is. Believe it or not, she's acted more human these past days than she ever did as King of the Britons," Mordred pointed out. "I admit, quite a bit of it was out of anger for her not declaring me her heir, for not acknowledging me as her child, despite all I did for her. But…there was also discontent, about how inhuman she seemed. Perfection is alien to the human condition, so the scholars would put it. I think that was part of it. It was certainly that for all the followers I gathered. And yet…look at us now. She's remembered as a hero, the King of Knights, and I'm the villain, the Knight of Betrayal, the bastard incestuous lovechild who killed a beloved king." She chuckled bitterly. Then, quietly, she said, "While we were still in Britain, I went to some of the old haunts, like Glastonbury Tor, and where Camlann was. I think that's what hit it home to me, how much we've truly faded into myth and legend, not history. How did that poem by Percy Shelley put it, the one Mum forced down my throat?"

" _I met a traveller from an antique land  
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone  
Stand in the desert... near them, on the sand,  
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,  
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,  
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read  
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,  
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed;_

 _And on the pedestal these words appear:  
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings;  
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'  
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay  
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare  
The lone and level sands stretch far away._

"

Mordred nodded at Archer's recital. "Yeah, that's the one. _Ozymandias_. All that's left of us are stories. I was the only one left alive, unless Merlin's still locked away in his prison. I actually began searching for Father during our off-time when Harry was in that damned Tri-Wizard Tournament, trying to track her down…because all the legends claim that she would rise once more in Britain's hour of need. But I couldn't. Nor could I find Excalibur, Avalon, the island or the sheath, Caliburn…all I had with me are my own Noble Phantasms."

"Secret of Pedigree and Clarent," Archer said. "The former is a suit of armour conceals your identity from everyone unless you willingly declare your name, or else someone identifies you through Clarent. Though it seems to have weakened in that particular power. Probably time and tide. Clarent…the ceremonial blade, perverted for use in war. But…I'm sure that your father would be proud of its current use, to protect others."

"…I don't wanna hear it from _you_ ," Mordred said quietly. "And that's why, come hell or highwater, I'm gonna rescue her. So I can hear it from her myself."

"Or die trying?" Archer asked.

"The only ones who are gonna die will be Medea and her Master," Mordred sneered. "They'll pay for what they did…"

* * *

Medea grimaced as she began checking the church, using her magical detection to see if her hunch about the Holy Grail being here was correct. Even if she wasn't, the leylines here would prove most useful. The priest managed to get away, and good riddance. There was something about him that rubbed her the wrong way.

Arturia was watching on, an unwilling puppet of Medea, before she finally said, "You are mistaken. This is but one of the places the Grail can materialise."

Medea whirled on the Once and Future King, scowling beneath her hood. "And how would you know, King of Knights?"

"I was in the previous Grail War, and retain my memories of it. My previous Master pinpointed a quartet of possible locations, including Ryuudou Temple, this church…and what is now the park."

"I've left Assassin to guard Ryuudou for now," Medea said, more than a little annoyed. "If the Grail does materialise there, I'm sure he will notify me, or I will make him suffer for his insolence. But the vessel for the Grail, the Lesser Grail, must be physically present somewhere. Hmm…well, once I've established this as my new base of operations and consolidated my position, I can start searching in earnest. Of course, that annoying taint, the possibility of Avenger corrupting the Grail, is an issue. Hence why you're here, at least in part. If I can't remove the taint from the Grail by the subtleties of magecraft from the Age of the Gods, then brute strength will have to suffice, and Excalibur, an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm, would fit the bill."

"If there was a taint, I would have helped destroy it willingly, Medea!" Arturia snapped. "There was no need to abduct me!"

"Arturia…I intend to _win_ this Grail War. I _deserve_ that, a second chance," Medea said. "You should understand that, of all people. From what I know about your legend, it was Merlin Ambrosius who influenced you into taking up Caliburn. I myself was influenced by Aphrodite, making me infatuated with Jason, having me help him and the Argonauts win the Golden Fleece. My betrayal of my kin was due to that Olympian slattern's brainwashing!" With a snarl of hatred, Medea swept items off the altar. "I committed fratricide to delay my father," she said quietly. "All in the name of a love that that _whore_ put into me. No…you had a choice at least. I did not."

"And your children?" Arturia asked quietly.

"…The Corinthians murdered them, but I was blamed," Medea said sadly. "And when Jason rejected me and my love for that whore Glauce…heh. I'm not sure why I'm even saying this. Maybe it's because your daughter and her paramour got under my skin somewhat. They only saw me as an enemy not because I was an enemy Servant, or Medea of Colchis…but because I was draining those people of mana. Though that may be a moot point now. Or maybe it's because we are both royals, and that our lives were ruined by the plans others set out for us, the Olympians for me, and Merlin and Morgan for you. I must feel a kinship of sorts with you, even as I am sure the feeling is far from mutual."

"It _is_ far from mutual," Arturia said, glaring at Medea. "I understand that you were hurt badly in life, Medea, and I feel for you more than I did for Morgan. And I understand your desperation, given your love for Kuzuki. But you have involved innocents in this war. Not just Magi associated with Masters, which is bad enough, but men and women whom you absorbed for your own ends. You took Taiga as a hostage, the woman who raised my child far better than I ever did, and threatened the lives of Shirou and Sakura. You are worse even than my Master in the past Grail War. If it weren't for the Command Seals you stole binding me, then I would at the very least lop off your hand…if not your head."

Before Medea could reply, a noise came from the door, and her beloved Souichirou entered, carrying a limp form dressed in a severe suit. It was a young woman with a short mop of red hair and missing a limb, which had a crude tourniquet on it. "Ah, Souichirou…so you found her?"

He nodded. "The taxi driver would have looked askance at me if you hadn't hypnotised him beforehand. She's still alive, but blood loss has taken its toll."

Arturia's eyes widened in horror. "What happened to her? This is not your handiwork, or you would have left her to perish."

"Exactly. I was still tempted to, given what her Servant did to me, but then again, it's somewhat apposite. I happened to stumble across her while searching for your former Master. Arturia Pendragon, meet Bazette Fraga McRemitz, the former Master of Lancer. And a new supplemental mana supply, once she's been healed up…"

 **CHAPTER 16 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, the fallout over what happened to Arturia, albeit mostly from Mordred's POV, and Medea is not only showing a more complex character than she did in canon, but she may just have another Master to sup mana from, a bit like how Diarmuid from** ** _Fate/Zero_** **had two Masters, Lord El-Melloi to provide the Command Seals, and Sola-Ui to provide the mana. In a way, she's chosen to do this partly out of mild pangs of conscience, with Harry and Mordred's calling her out affecting her more than she let on, though it's mainly because, as with dakka, there is never such a thing as enough mana.**

 **Now, EMIYA is actually beginning to like Mordred by this point, even if the feeling isn't mutual (and certainly won't be once EMIYA betrays Rin and reveals his intentions against Shirou), hence this bit. He's beginning to truly understand her and her feelings towards her father, so his actions towards her are less petty antagonism and more trying to help her.**

 **As for Medea and Arturia, I wanted to see more of a complex Medea. As I have brought up before, she's pretty much portrayed as an outright villain in canon, save for some scraps of sympathy. Hell, the flashback in the UBW anime is probably the most sympathetic portrayal of her, apart from her being turned into a shish-kebab by EMIYA. Actually, I watched the first** ** _Heaven's Feel_** **movie recently, not long ago, and the few minutes of screentime she has make me feel more sympathy for her than just about every other adaptation. The chapter set in the park was part of it, but I also wanted to show Medea as being somewhat more morally complex than the canon version. Ruthless, yes, but more out of desperation to be with her lover than any truly evil nature (so while evil, she's nothing compared to the likes of Gilgamesh, Kirei, Shinji or Zouken). Plus, she's one of my favourite Servants in the series, as those who have read** ** _Separated at Birth_** **and** ** _Light the Blue Touch Paper and Run Like Hell_** **will know.**

 **The next one will probably deal with EMIYA's betrayal…and the revelation of his true identity, earlier than in canon. That being said, I have finally obtained the first half of** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **on Blu-Ray, so keep an eye out for potential crossovers.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Have a Little Feith** **: Blame OBSERVER01 for mentioning that nickname. Because it's such an apt little nickname, Moedred.**

 **Felix the Sax** **: Thanks. I love doing Medea-centric fics too, and while they can be hard to write for (I don't have the inspiration to continue** ** _Separated at Birth_** **, sadly), they also are my favourites, because I like exploring Medea as a protagonist. Also, I wanted to write a Mordred/Arturia dynamic that didn't necessarily have them fighting right off the bat. Moedred still has a fuckton of issues towards her father, but she's also willing to talk it out. Arturia, of course, having been through the events of** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, has gone through some re-evaluation of her life, and having been given a chance to patch things up with her child, she takes it. They still have anger and antipathy to clear up, but they also have a chance, and as shown above, Mordred hates the fact that her father was captured.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	18. Chapter 17: The Foe from the Future

**CHAPTER 17:**

 **THE FOE FROM THE FUTURE(** **1)**

Harry probably didn't feel the loss of Arturia as keenly as Mordred did, but he felt her pain and grief. Even after she came back, wiping sweat off her face, and muttering, "We're good," he knew that statement to be a lie. Mordred may have calmed down, but she was still a powder keg of emotion.

He felt much the same way. Taiga had been endangered thanks to Medea's machinations, Shirou had lost his Servant, and Mordred had her parent stolen. And Rin, as Sakura and Medusa watched over Shirou, was thinking.

Eventually, the dark-haired Magus said, "Harry, Mordred, I need you two to keep Shirou safe. I know I don't need to ask, really, but still…without Arturia, he's a sitting duck, and you know he'll go haring off to try and stop Medea."

"Oi, Archer said you were breaking off the alliance," Mordred snapped. "Look, we've basically got Illya to agree to help us fight Medea. That means we have three Servants against her if you count Medusa."

"Three against three," Rin pointed out.

"Exactly!" Harry retorted. "But you intend to go it alone? Your Archer against three Servants?"

"Look, I am considering accepting that von Einzbern brat's offer," Rin said. "But the moment Medea is dead, the alliance will be over, and Heracles is a monster. In any case, Archer and I came up with a plan to deal with Kuzuki. He's the weakest link. Kill him, and Medea will be without an anchor to the world, and thus, all we need to do is either kill her, or force her to exhaust her mana supplies."

"But what about Father?" Mordred asked. "If Medea exhausts her mana, then that means, as her Servant…"

"Mordred, I understand, I really do. I would give anything to see my father again. But we have to be realistic."

Mordred stormed over, and jabbed a finger at Rin. "Fuck you, Rin. My father may not have been the best, but frankly, neither was yours!"

"What did you say?!" Rin demanded.

"We know about Sakura, Rin," Harry said coldly. "Sakura is your younger sister, adopted out to the Matous. Kirei hinted at it, and Sakura confirmed it."

Rin stared at them, before she sat down heavily on a nearby chair, putting her head in her hands. After a moment, she said, quietly, "I didn't like it, you know. I never did. All I was told was to be like a Magus, treat her like she was now part of another family, and not my sister. Father told me not to cry, for Sakura would be treated well, and be taught magecraft no Tohsaka normally would learn…"

Sakura scoffed quietly. "You never did ask, Rin. Though at least you cared a little. Tokiomi never did. You don't know what I went through, and I saw Uncle Kariya die in front of me, and…and…" Her voice caught in her throat. "I wasn't treated well."

"…And I can't get you out of there due to the contract Father signed," Rin said quietly. "Sakura, I never wanted to…"

"Don't," Sakura said, turning back to Shirou. "Just know this. If Shirou dies because of you or your Servant, then you will _suffer_." The shadows seemed to lengthen around her, and her hair seemed to pale briefly, from her usual purple to a lighter lavender.

"Holy shit, Sakura, what was that?!" Mordred demanded.

After a moment, Sakura said, quietly, "You don't want to know." She seemed to be shivering a little at her own outburst.

"The fact remains that you'll need backup when you go after Kuzuki," Harry said. "At the very least, take Mordred and I with you. We may not be Servants, but we're no slouches when it comes to fighting. Plus, Mordred has a Noble Phantasm, she knows Arturia's fighting style should she come onto the scene, and…"

"You're gonna have to bury me in concrete to keep me out of the fight, Rin. That bitch took my Father," Mordred growled.

Archer materialised in his habitual flurry of blue light, sighing. "Well, you two are every bit as bullheaded as my Master, or Shirou. No wonder you are friends. Fine, bring them along. But Sakura…if Shirou dies by my hand, then blame me, and not Rin. She has too many good feelings for him. She just won't admit them."

Sakura's look at the Servant was inscrutable, as was the frown of thought she wore. Harry could tell gears were turning in her head, though what they were, Harry didn't know…

* * *

One of the spells Harry had learned at Hogwarts was the Point Me spell. A good general location spell, while it didn't seem to work for Servants, finding Kuzuki was surprisingly easy. They found him walking along a road to the church, with bags marked with the logo of the local pharmacy. Harry wondered why briefly, before sending a Stunner his way from where they were concealed in nearby trees…only for Medea to suddenly materialise behind Kuzuki and bat the spell away.

"Come out, or I'll flush you out," Medea said with a saccharine tone, holding up a hand and materialising magic circles.

" _Accio_ , Kuzuki," Harry hissed, hoping a Summoning Charm would work…and suddenly, Kuzuki was flying through the air, with only his widened eyes betraying his surprise. However, as he approached them, he righted himself in mid-flight, and his hand suddenly lashed out, sending Harry flying into a tree, pain exploding in his chest.

"Archer!" Rin yelled, and the crimson-clad Servant appeared, just as Harry was struggling to his feet, helped up by Mordred. However, he watched in astonishment as Kuzuki blocked blows from Archer's attacks, until he saw the faint violet glow around his body. He turned to look at Medea, who was walking over unhurriedly.

"Reinforcement magecraft," Harry murmured, before he noted the strange fighting style Kuzuki used.

"Not only that. My dear Souichirou was a former assassin who was taught a form of martial arts known to the order he belonged to as 'Snake'," Medea said. "Incidentally, Archer, don't you think it's about time we ended this farce?"

Archer scoffed, before he gestured, and a bunch of swords suddenly surrounded Rin, Harry and Mordred, in makeshift cages. "Hey, what gives?!" Mordred snapped.

"Archer, what's the meaning of this?!" Rin demanded.

"Medea has Saber and Assassin, two out of seven Servants, making it three in her alliance. Consider this a pragmatic decision," Archer said.

"Normally, I detest traitors, which I'm sure you'd consider the height of irony," Medea said, pulling out an elaborate dagger with a zig-zagging blade. "But Archer here has given me his reasons for being in the Grail War, and I find myself feeling sympathy for his situation."

"Don't forget, let these three go for now. That is the price for my agreeing to defect," Archer said.

"Bastard!" Mordred screamed, kicking at the blades, before she swung at them with Clarent, causing them to shatter into mana. Projected, like all of his other weapons.

Projected…Harry blinked, as something slotted into place, even as Mordred charged at Archer and Medea, with Kuzuki moving to intercept her. Even as Kuzuki dodged a slash from Clarent, and grabbed Mordred by the throat, despite her trying to kick at him, Harry's attention was on Archer. It was like one of those illusions where a vase became two faces, or the rabbit-duck drawing. It was as if he was finally seeing something about Archer that was right in front of him all along. He didn't see the tanned skin or the white hair or silvery eyes. He saw the face and the Projection. He remembered what Mordred had picked up on, his antagonism towards Shirou. And the fact that the Throne of Heroes also included _future_ heroes.

As Medea stabbed Rule Breaker into Archer's chest, unleashing a flare of magical energy, Harry stared in horror as he realised who Archer was. And he screamed Archer's true name.

"SHIROU!"

Kuzuki flung Mordred to the ground in front of Harry, who finally got around to helping her, healing her injuries, though they mostly amounted to a badly bruised throat. "Harry, what the fuck were you yelling Shirou's name for? He's not here at the…" And then, Harry could see that she was coming to the same conclusion, gears turning in her head, before she slapped her forehead with a gauntleted palm.

"So, you figured it out," Archer said, as Medea put away Rule Breaker.

"You're Shirou," Harry said disbelievingly. "Somehow, you're a future Shirou. But…why the hell would you betray us?"

"In a way, I'm doing you all a favour. Rin is outmatched in this Grail War. And Medea may be the only one capable of figuring out a way to cleanse the Grail. I have no wish on the Grail itself. Like I said to Medea, the price of my defection is letting you three live. If you oppose us again, then we'll have to treat you as enemies."

"You always were our enemy, you bastard!" Mordred snapped, struggling to her feet. "You were planning this from the start, weren't you?! Come here so I can give you a fucking Clarent Colonoscopy!"

"I think not, Mordred," Medea said. "Perhaps you should be asking your Shirou about the path he intends to head down. If you're lucky, once I'm done, you can have your father back. Hmm, maybe one can restore two Servants to living existence with a single wish on the Grail. Still, your father is altogether too valuable to me at the moment. Archer…well, EMIYA, merely increases my odds of winning."

Mordred rushed at her, only for Kuzuki to rush over to her and strike a blow to her head, knocking her to the ground, unconscious. "Take her and go," Archer said.

Harry, even as he went over to Mordred, fixed Archer with a glare, only to see something indefinable in the man's eyes. Not quite regret, but something. Then, the three disappeared in a flurry of violet particles as Medea transported them away…

* * *

Shirou had woken up by the time they got back, and they explained what had happened, save for one crucial detail. "So that bastard betrayed Rin?" he said, wincing as he clutched his side, while Mordred leaned against a wall, shaking off a concussion.

"I knew there was something shifty about him!" Taiga declared. "But why did he do that?"

"Because I was too soft a Master…or so I thought," Rin said quietly. "In truth, things have gotten more complicated."

Harry nodded. "Understatement of the century, Rin. Shirou, there's no easy way to say this…but Archer is actually a future version of you."

Shirou stared at them, Sakura's eyes widened in horror, and Taiga's own all but bugged out on stalks. "WHAAAAT?!" she yelped. "ARCHER IS SHIROU?!"

"Yeah, and I've got a pretty good idea how," Mordred said, looking at Rin. "He's a fucking attack dog of Alaya, isn't he?"

Rin nodded. "It seems likely. Medea spoke of him having made a deal with the Devil, he seems to have resentment towards Shirou and his ideals…he may be a Counter Guardian."

"A what?" Taiga asked.

"Yeah, what is a Counter Guardian?" Shirou asked.

"You know about Gaia and Alaya, Shirou," Sakura said. She then looked to Taiga. "And what about you, Miss Fujimura?"

Taiga frowned in thought. "Hmm, Arc mentioned it once while talking about how her ancestor came to Earth. Gaia's the consciousness of the Earth, right? And Gaia was the one who invited, so to speak, Crimson Moon Brunestud, the first vampire, to act on its behalf. While Alaya is basically the collective will of humanity."

"Exactly," Rin said with a nod. "Each consciousness has agents it can call upon to do its will. Gaia has entities such as Primate Murder and the like. Alaya has the Counter Force. Basically, if something threatens humanity, a Counter Guardian is dispatched, usually to deal with things with extreme prejudice. Usually by killing a lot of people. You could call them janitors. I think I saw fragments of what happened to Archer in the dream cycle. He made a deal, with Alaya, and when he died, betrayed and executed for a crime he didn't commit, he essentially became Alaya's attack dog. Think about this, Shirou. Counter Guardians have to kill all the time…but you, well, you try not to kill. So imagine being stuck in Archer's predicament."

"But that tanned jerk can't be Shirou!" Taiga wailed.

"His face is similar, even if his skin, hair and eye colour aren't," Mordred said. "Not only that, but he's an expert at Projection. And what's more, he admitted it when Harry called out his name. That bitch didn't deny it either. Which means she knew, somehow. Those two have been in cahoots."

"There must've been enough of Shirou left in him to let us go," Rin mused. "But still…Archer showed himself to be a pragmatist, so why didn't he kill us? Does he have us in mind for something?"

"Don't know, don't care," Mordred said. "We'll need to contact the albino brat ASAP. Dunno whether Berserker's gonna be able to stand up to four Servants, but Sakura…would you be willing to help?"

Sakura nodded, resolve filling her eyes. However, Taiga was frowning. "One thing I don't get. If Archer is really a future Shirou, one who became a Counter Guardian or whatever you said, how come he hates Shirou so much? I mean, didn't you say, Mordred, that he seemed to want to kill Shirou?"

"I think it's obvious," Harry said. "Being a Counter Guardian would be a hellish enough experience for most people. But for Shirou, it'd be worse. He wanted to be a Hero of Justice, to save as many people as he could, right? But Counter Guardians have to kill, often a lot of people. Otherwise, Gaia's response is sure to be even worse. For someone like Shirou, it's probably one of the worst possible hells he can go through. He'd be worse than Kiritsugu would have been, killing hundreds, thousands, millions of people for the Greater Good."

"The boy who wanted to stop people in his sight from crying would be forced to watch them cry for all eternity," Sakura murmured. "But…how would killing Shirou help?"

"He's probably hoping for some sort of time paradox. Shirou Emiya killing Shirou Emiya. I don't think it quite works like that, but he might be desperate enough not to care. Though if we're lucky, he may instead want to drive Shirou off the path that led him to his current state," Rin said. "He's had plenty of chances to kill Shirou already, but hasn't. That means there's a chance. Anyway, we'd better rest up. Then, first thing, we'll be heading to the Einzbern Castle. As much as I don't want to beg that brat for anything, I don't think we have much choice…"

 **CHAPTER 17 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Archer's betrayal, albeit happening at a somewhat different time, and the revelation of who he is. A lot of you, in reviews, were noting that the others were suspicious of his true identity, but weren't quite getting there. I wanted to save the big reveal for exactly this moment. But I also wanted to show some humanity in both EMIYA and Medea, as well as the guys figure out EMIYA's possible motivations.**

 **How long until the next chapter comes out, well, I dunno. It's mostly written, featuring Gilgamesh's assault on the von Einzbern castle, but I don't know how long until the final bit of inspiration for the last bit will hit. That being said, you know how I said I was working on a** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **crossover? Well, for those of you who don't follow the Cauldron or** ** _Zelretch's Collection of Alternates_** **, I've posted the first couple of chapters of** ** _Dum Vivimus, Vivamus_** **. Check it out, if you're interested.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Jose19** **: Which is why I wrote this. Moedred's feelings towards her father are fairly complex. So the possibility of them reconciling, albeit under the right circumstances, is there.**

 **Kithrin** **: Not necessarily. She may continue her mana-gathering activities, albeit on a lesser scale, partly to provide for a number of Servants, but also to stockpile it for her own attacks. Indeed, while fighting her in canon, Archer, frustrated at the amount of attacks she's firing, complains that she must have large stores of mana.**

 **Guest** **(regarding Medea being worse than Gilgamesh): Gilgamesh wants to destroy the world and wipe out humanity because it is unworthy. Medea may not be a good person, but she's bluntly better than Gilgamesh.**

 **1\. This is, like the same chapter title I used for** ** _Separated at Birth_** **for a similar reveal, a reference to an unmade** ** _Doctor Who_** **serial of the same name, with some elements re-used for** ** _The Talons of Weng-Chiang_** **. That being said,** ** _The Foe from the Future_** **was eventually adapted into an audio play by Big Finish, which I recommend…**


	19. Chapter 18: Gilgamesh

**CHAPTER 18:**

 **GILGAMESH**

Early the next morning, Harry rang up Illya, and a sleepy-sounding Homunculus hybrid eventually came to the phone. " _Do you know what time it is?_ " she asked irritably.

"Yeah. It's crunch time. Illya, listen." He explained what happened, Medea capturing Arturia, as well as Archer's defection.

After a moment, Illya's voice, while still sleepy, was all-business. "… _Damnation. I presume my brother and the Tohsaka…scion will be here soon, presumably with you and Mordred in tow. With four Servants by her side, Medea's going to be tough to beat, even if the Matou girl is willing to cooperate. Heracles is powerful, but not invincible, and Medea's Rule Breaker makes her tricky to deal with. But_ …" Suddenly, she halted. "… _Something's crossed the Bounded Field. Something powerful. I think a Servant is coming. But…just one._ " Then, Illya shouted for her maids, muffled by the sound of her hand covering the phone. Then, after that, Illya said, " _Harry, if you're going to come here, then do it now!_ "

"Right! Hang on, Illya!" Harry yelled, before he looked at the others. "Right, Mum, Sakura, get to Shirou's house! Medusa, I think we may need backup. You're willing to come along?" She nodded. "Okay, Medusa, Shirou, Rin, Mordred…we're heading to the Einzbern Castle, and we may need to rescue Illya…"

* * *

They ran as fast as they could after Apparating, Medusa picking up Rin and Shirou, while Mordred carried Harry in a bridal carry as they used their speed to make haste past the Bounded Fields and into the Einzbern Castle. They followed the devastation into a courtyard, where Heracles and Illya were confronting a tall, blond man with crimson eyes, trendy clothes, and a cocky demeanour, the bodies of the two Homunculi maids near him. "…The doll the von Einzberns made into the Lesser Grail? The oddity spawned by the coupling of a Homunculus and that mongrel of an assassin?" the man asked.

"I don't see why I should answer the question of a Servant who has overstayed his welcome, Gilgamesh," Illya sneered, perhaps unwisely.

"Ah, so you have the wit to know who I am, even as you show a rather lethal level of insolence," Gilgamesh said, before his eyes caught the newcomers. "Ho? And we have interlopers…the poor imitation of Arturia Pendragon, the daughter of my late and unlamented Master, a filthy serpent, and a couple of would-be boy wizards."

"Gilgamesh," Harry said, glaring at him, even as his mind whirled over what Gilgamesh had said, about Illya being the Lesser Grail. "Leave her alone."

"You do not command a king, boy," Gilgamesh sneered. "I am he who takes, never he who is taken from(1)."

"And you have taken Sella and Leysritt from me, for no reason," Illya growled, her crimson eyes lending her glare sheer gravitas. "Berserker… ** _ERADICATE HIM!_** "

As Heracles readied himself, Gilgamesh merely smirked, and spread his arms wide in a 'bring it on gesture', golden ripples in space opening up, the points of weapons edging out. "Well? You heard your mistress. I'm standing right here."

"So am I, you arrogant tosser," Mordred said, pointing Clarent at Gilgamesh. "Father told me that you couldn't beat Lancelot, and yet you wanted to rape her. Now, speaking as her child, I kinda take offence at that. You claim to be the king? Well, there's only one king I'll ever considering bowing to, and it ain't you."

"Hush, girl," Gilgamesh sneered. "I will deal with you once I deal with Zeus' bastard child. Maybe I may deign to take you as my concubine, at least until I find your sire. Of course, I'll have to confiscate that tongue of yours, given how much you bark and growl like the mangy bitch you are!"

Her rage at breaking point, Mordred made to charge, only for Heracles to block her path with his massive stone…axe? Sword? He then looked down to her, and with his eyes, gestured to Illya. The message was clear: _Keep her safe_.

Gilgamesh laughed. "Heracles doesn't want you stealing his fun, it seems. Well, I'm of the same notion. You see, toying with him may relieve me of my tedium. So, let's see if you have what it takes, Heracles…"

Harry and the others, though, spotted Shinji Matou, staring out at the fighting from beyond a nearby gap in the wall. "…Shinji…" he hissed.

Shinji noticed them, and then began to laugh uproariously. "You stupid bastards! You're in for it now! My new Servant is…GKKK!"

The reason for his sudden noise of strangulation was because Mordred was on him in a flash, gripping him by the throat and hoisting him into the air. "Oi, tosser!" Mordred snapped. "If I kill this little fucker, it won't really interrupt your mana supply, will it? I mean, he's got fuck-all magic circuits, and you've been hanging around since the last Grail War like a bad smell, so you don't really need him, do you?"

"While your insolence aggravates me, poor imitation, you are quite correct. While he would be useful in some regards, his loss would be no great hindrance. If you wish to kill him, then consider it a favour I do you."

"Much obliged, Your Royal Anus," Mordred said sarcastically, before she ran Shinji through with Clarent, and then dropped him.

"You bitch..." Shinji snarled in pain and anger. "Why did you do that?!"

"Ran you through the stomach? Because I want you to feel yourself dying slowly and painfully. Your own stomach acids are eating away at your organs, but I guess the blood loss will kill you long before that. Killing you, though…you set Rider on Ayako, you hurt Sakura…and you were raping her, weren't you?"

Shinji, after a moment, laughed. "You can't rape what's already yours!" he jeered. "Anyway, Emiya gets my sloppy seconds, and Sakura is too ashamed to…!"

But that was as far as he got, before Clarent buried itself in his skull. His eyes crossed, as if trying to see the blade that killed him, before he slumped with a gurgle. As she plucked the blade from his skull, she looked at Medusa, who was peering at her from behind her blindfold. "What? We're doing Sakura a favour, her orders or not."

"I agree…and she will understand," Medusa said, as Harry, Rin and Shirou began dragging a screaming Illya away from the battle that was taking place. Heracles was being pelted by the weapons Gilgamesh was firing out of the golden portals in space, swatting most away with his massive weapon.

"BERSERKER!" screamed Illya. "Let me go! I need to help him!"

"He's buying time to allow us to get you away, brat!" Mordred snapped. Suddenly, a rain of weapons blocked their flight, dozens providing a makeshift palisade of blades.

"As if I would let you get away with my prize," Gilgamesh retorted. "The doll is mine! AS IS EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD!"

Harry growled, before he began levitating the swords that blocked their way, until they were pointed back at Gilgamesh, as Mordred raised her sword into the air. "Then have them back, you bastard! _DEPULSIO!_ "

Gilgamesh chuckled contemptuously, stilling the flying weapons with a gesture, causing them to dissolve into golden particles. "What insolence, to touch my treasures with your magic."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna love me!" Mordred had used the brief distraction well, charging up Clarent. She was boosting it as high as she dared.

"Ooh, I can feel that," Gilgamesh sneered.

"In a moment, all you'll feel is oblivion!" Mordred retorted.

"That, or disappointment. Go on ahead. _Flip that coin_ ," Gilgamesh said(2).

"CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!" Mordred roared, and fired the blast of energy at Gilgamesh…and everything faded away in a flash of crimson light…

* * *

Gilgamesh grimaced as he brushed the dust off his clothes. In front of him was the spreadeagled lump of charred meat that was once Heracles, his limbs restrained by glowing chains. Enkidu, the weapon that was wielded by his friend of the same name, could restrain any Heroic Spirit with ease, but those with divine heritage were even more vulnerable. He should know, he felt their bite himself. A bastard child of Zeus would have no chance in hell of getting out, despite all his strength and tenacity.

However, as the dust cleared, he frowned. The area where those mongrels had been in was now clear of their presence, save for the corpse of the late and very unlamented Shinji Matou. And he'd be able to sense their presence if they were close by. It seemed that the attack was a distraction more than a serious attempt to kill him…or else they took advantage of the attack to flee with the doll. Still, he had to admit, the mangy little bitch's Noble Phantasm, while nothing compared to the beauty of Excalibur, had quite a bit of bite to it. The King did not use his treasures to shield himself, as that was cowardice, but using one's enemies was another matter. It was only prudent to let mongrels bite each other to death.

Heracles looked him square in the eyes, as his body regenerated, and _smiled_. It was a smile that had many qualities. Mockery. A savage promise of dismemberment. And…contentment? As if Heracles was saying, _She is beyond your reach now, and that is all I need to know_.

"This has only delayed her end, Heracles," Gilgamesh sneered. "As the peons that overpopulate this world would say, she was only Plan A. I have a Plan B. Still, I would prefer not to resort to that. I just need to stop playing around with you." As more and more weapons slashed into Heracles, provoking more agonised bellows, Gilgamesh remarked, rather casually, "A pity. While I have but one friend, you are certainly worthy of some small respect, like your fellow Greek, Iskandar. I wonder what he would say if he could see you now, pinned in place and being turned into a hedgehog? At least you are better than that mad cur who kept stealing my treasures to use against me."

Heracles finally perished for the twelfth, and final time. Gilgamesh showed an expression that was part sneer of contempt, part snarl of anger, and perhaps a glimmering of respect. But as he walked past Heracles, the beast stirred one last time, and tried to strike him. The sheer gall of it! Gilgamesh dodged, used Enkidu to ensnare the Berserker Servant one more time, and then took Heracles' own weapon, and impaled him on it. "You've surpassed your own myth, Heracles. Impressive. Now fall, damn you!"

Blood gouted from Heracles' mouth, and then, the beast…no, the man looked him in the eye, his gaze now clear of madness, though not anger. A grimace touched his lips. In a voice that was like the thunder his sire had made, Heracles said, " ** _I may fall, so-called King of Heroes, but I have not failed. I failed my children in life. May this one buy her peace with my life in this time. Remember, all things crumble and perish. Even gold tarnishes, Gilgamesh. Your treasures will one day be dust, and_** …"

Heracles' monologue was interrupted when Gilgamesh, in a fit of pique, buried Heracles' own sword in his skull. "I liked it better when all you could do was snarl and roar, mongrel," Gilgamesh sneered. "At least Iskandar was more interesting than you, and he didn't have a Noble Phantasm to account for his tenacity."

He then walked over to the corpse of Shinji Matou, and smirked. The boy had his uses, but they were limited. He intended to use the entitled Matou brat as a vessel for the Lesser Grail…once he had torn the doll's beating heart from her chest, but that wasn't wholly necessary. As an afterthought, Gilgamesh used one of his lesser treasures to obliterate the little worm's body, not bothering to return it to his vault.

He then reached out with his senses. He couldn't sense the abominable serpent who had been summoned as a Rider. Medusa, according to Shinji. Which meant that they had already made their escape. A brief snarl of anger touched his lips, before he sighed. Well, he couldn't have expected things to go this easily, if they somehow knew who he was. Saber, perhaps, aka Arturia Pendragon. The one who would be his wife, come hell or high water…though the former was pretty much a given, with his plans shaping up the way they were.

Still, he had to admit, this interference, while vexing, was at least diverting. As much as he enjoyed playing along to Kirei's script, the unexpected helped add some much-needed variety. Perhaps he might find some entertainment before the denouement to this Grand Guignol played out…

* * *

Illya was crying, even as they Apparated back to the Tohsaka manor. Crying for Heracles, for she knew he had met his end. She sobbed against Shirou's shirt, and brother and sister hugged each other, Shirou comforting Illya as she mourned Heracles, as well as Sella and Leysritt. They knew, though, that if they were at a disadvantage before, then they were at an even greater one now. And there was Illya's status as the Lesser Grail to consider.

As if things weren't complicated enough already…

 **CHAPTER 18 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, that just happened. Illya may have been saved, and Shinji killed (and there was much rejoicing for both), but Gilgamesh has a backup plan. I think, if you know anything about** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **, what, or rather who, it is.**

 **At the time I posted the last chapter, this chapter was mostly done. I just needed the impetus to finish it. That being said, this chapter may be the last one for a little while. I've started my first** ** _Fate/Apocrypha_** **crossover, a WBWL fic called** ** _Love and War_** **which a number of you have doubtless already read the initial chapters of. If you haven't, and are curious, check it out. It has more Moedred…plus some characters from** ** _Fate/Stay Night_** **.**

 **I'm also considering a** ** _Fate/Grand Order_** **crossover and a** ** _Fate/Extella_** **crossover, but to date, nothing's eventuated beyond some story ideas, so those are a bit of a way off.**

 **1\. I saw this in the official guidebook for** ** _Berserk_** **as a line uttered by Emperor Ganishka, and this pretty much sums up Gilgamesh's character too, so I used it here.**

 **2\. Mordred and Gilgamesh are paraphrasing Vegeta and Perfect Cell's lines just prior to the former's Final Flash attack in** ** _Dragonball Z Abridged_** **.**


	20. Chapter 19: An Unexpected Offer

**CHAPTER 19:**

 **AN UNEXPECTED OFFER**

It took a long time for Illya to calm down, the albino Homunculus grieving for the loss not only of her maids, but also Heracles. Shirou embraced her, helping her calm down, while the others looked on. Eventually, she stopped.

But that's when she stared at Sakura Matou. And then, she hissed in horror, "…What the hell has that old worm done to you?!"

Sakura recoiled as if struck. "Illya, what do you mean by that?" Shirou asked.

"…I feel something from her. Something I shouldn't be able to, normally," Illya said. "…There's something like me within her, but…darker."

Sakura turned away, but Mordred was on her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "…Sakura…Shinji boasted about what he did to you. He's dead now. I killed him."

Sakura quivered beneath Mordred's grip, but eventually, she nodded. "…Then you know…how tainted and filthy and…"

"Sakura!" Shirou snapped. And as his girlfriend whirled to face him, he said, "…Look, I understand not telling me. I literally can't imagine the shame you're going through. I thought Shinji was a friend. But he set that bastard Gilgamesh onto my sister. You're not to blame for what he did."

Sakura looked away again. "…Shirou…you're too kind. You and Harry and Mordred and Taiga…you actually think I'm worth something. That's one of the few things that kept me sane over the past few years, ever since Uncle Kariya died. But…Shinji didn't do the worst of it to me." Her voice caught in her throat. Then, she murmured two words, almost under her breath.

"…Crest Worms…"

Harry and Shirou, to say nothing of Taiga, had never heard of such a thing. But judging by the look on Rin, Illya, Medusa and Mordred's faces, they had. They were all in shock, with expressions of absolute horror and disgust. Rin's hand flew to her mouth. "Sakura! Is…is that what you went through? All this time?!"

Sakura nodded, before she said, bitterly, "…And Tokiomi knew about them, even before he handed me over to the Matous."

"…You're lying, you…you have to be lying! Father wouldn't…" Then, Rin fled the room, into the bathroom. They heard her emptying her stomach copiously.

"…I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Crest Worms aren't a good thing?" Taiga asked.

Mordred scowled in disgust. "You can say that again. Even that bitch who called herself my mother never used them, save as potions ingredients. And when Morgan le Fay refuses to use something as a familiar out of disgust, you know it's pretty nasty. They're parasites for the most part. In men, they burrow into the flesh, feeding off it, particularly your bone marrow and your nerve endings. If you're lucky, you'll live long enough to have access to some powerful magic. But they get excited from overuse, and more often than not, they eat you from the inside out. But in women, it's another story. They feed on the linings of the womb, effectively raping them, acting like something out of a twisted hentai. They even cause arousal in their hosts if they're not satiated. It's more symbiotic than in men, but they're not something you want in you. Jesus Christ, Sakura…" Mordred stood, and gave the girl a hug. "…How long?" she asked quietly.

"…Since I was first sent to the Matous. _Since I was_ _ **five**_."

Illya grimaced. "…I think I might have to join Tohsaka in the toilet soon. Why the Clock Tower tolerates a creature like Zouken Matou is beyond me."

"You got that right," Taiga said, uncharacteristically quiet, though her eyes burned with cold rage. "I'm gonna kill the fucker. I'm calling up Gramps and having him shoot up the place."

"…You can't. Zouken is immortal, as long as his Crest Worms remain," Sakura said bleakly.

"…And there's more," Illya said quietly. "He's turned you into a Lesser Grail. I can sense it. I know this because I am the same. It's why Gilgamesh wanted me, I think."

"…Arturia mentioned that your mother Irisviel was the Lesser Grail," Harry muttered in horror.

Illya nodded. "The Lesser Grail is the vessel for the essences of the Heroic Spirits killed during the Grail War. When it is full, it acts as a primer for the Holy Grail proper to enter the world, a conduit for the actual wish-granting."

"…And the von Einzberns, in their infinite wisdom, used Homunculi to make them," Rin said as she emerged from the bathroom, wiping her mouth with a tissue.

"The first three Grail Wars, especially the Third, proved that the Lesser Grail is an easy target for spiteful Masters, Tohsaka," Illya retorted. "In the Fourth Holy Grail War, it was decided to create a Homunculus that would act as a mobile carrier of the Grail, one who would become the Lesser Grail once the essence of enough Servants had entered them. That Homunculus was my mother." Illya blinked away the tears threatening to form.

"And my father was okay with that?" Shirou hissed in horror.

"…My family claimed that, but…I think he truly loved her, and didn't want it to happen," Illya said.

"Okay, now, you said Sakura here has been made into one too," Taiga said. "How is that possible?"

"…If there was anyone alive capable of doing so, it would be Zouken Matou," Illya said. "Back when he was Zolgen Makiri of Russia, he was one of the founders of the Holy Grail Wars. While his specialty was in creating the Servant and Command Seal system, legend has it that he was on particularly good terms with…my ancestor, so to speak, Justeaze. She became the core of the Greater Grail."

"…Earlier, when you were threatening me over Shirou's life, you changed, Sakura. Is that to do with the Grail?" Rin asked.

"Not exactly. I don't know what it is, only that it came with whatever Grandfather put into me," Sakura said. "I've been fighting it for so long…but after Shirou began dating me in earnest…we came to an agreement of sorts. It's almost, but not quite a split personality, formed partly by what has been done to me, but also by what Zouken put into me." She began shivering, her hair lightening to a pale lavender once more, her eyes becoming crimson for a moment, before she shuddered, and it went away. "…I don't think the part of me that is the Lesser Grail is truly active yet, or worse things would be happening."

"All of which means we're in deeper trouble than we thought," Illya said. "And I can't be sure which of us the energy of the fallen Servants goes into. Heracles was the first Servant to die, but…I didn't feel his energy as strongly as I thought. If Gilgamesh learns that you are another Lesser Grail…"

"…We can't leave you alone, not where Gilgamesh can get to you," Harry said. "He was after Illya because she was the Lesser Grail. Why exactly, we don't know, but it can't be good."

"I think I know," Sakura said quietly. "Something lurks within the Grail, something that wishes to be free. I…only suspect this."

"…Angra Mainyu," Harry murmured, remembering what Zelretch had suggested. "Avenger."

Sakura shuddered, her hair and eyes shifting briefly once more. "…I felt that name resonate within me. I think you're right."

"But why would Gilgamesh want to unleash Avenger?" Rin asked.

"Who knows what goes through the mind of that egotistical prick?" Mordred scoffed. "This seems more up the fake priest's alley, unleashing Avenger on the world. He looks to be the sort to do it for shits and giggles."

"Kirei? I don't think he would, would he?"

"…Rin…he's fucked up in the head. I can tell. Besides, isn't it weird that we left Shinji there to have sanctuary…and then he turns up at Illya's with Gilgamesh in tow? No, now that I come to think of it…I think Gilgamesh and the damned priest are in cahoots."

Sakura frowned. "…As much as I don't want to consider it…I do agree. It does seem fishy that my brother was seeking sanctuary…and then happened to become the Master of another Servant, one who was from the previous Grail War."

"…That's all we need," Illya muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "The Overseer as our enemy, taking an active part in the Holy Grail War. We are between Scylla and Charybdis…well, Gilgamesh and Medea. We only have Rider as far as Servants are concerned, maybe Mordred if you count the fact that she can use a Noble Phantasm. Medea has herself, Arturia and EMIYA, as well as the Assassin Kojiro Sasaki, while Gilgamesh is in a league of his own…"

Suddenly, Medusa stiffened. "…A Servant approaches. I do not believe it to be Gilgamesh."

Mordred looked out the window, looking over the garden. She scowled. "It's the damned Lancer! What the fuck is he doing here?"

"…He doesn't appear to be here to fight," Rin muttered. "He looks too…well, relaxed. Maybe he wants to parley…"

* * *

"Yo," Cú Chulainn said with a smirk as they emerged from the house. "I know this is a bad time and all…but I come in peace!"

Mordred looked at the Lancer flatly. "…And you'll leave in pieces if I have anything to say about it."

"Hey, none of that. Now, listen…I'm guessing you guys want a piece of Caster, right? Well, you've only got one Servant, plus a pretty handy knight who's almost a Saber, and Caster's got three on her side. Now, my Master is a prick, but they've decided Caster's a priority, so, they ordered me to help you even the odds. Plus, the bitch got away from me before, so it's professional pride talking as well, to say nothing of your ex-Archer."

"And how can we trust you?" Shirou asked suspiciously. "The last time we met, you tried to turn me into a shish-kebab. You also hurt Saber."

"Yeah, I know. It sounds pretty stupid and dishonourable to say I was just obeying orders, but I was. I don't like it either. All I wanted was a good fight in this Grail War, not to be running around as a scout and killing any witnesses. Look…Caster is holed up in the church where the Overseer used to be. As far as I know, her Assassin is confined to the grounds of Ryuudou Temple, due to how she summoned him. That evens the odds somewhat, and if you're lucky, your Saber wouldn't be able to fight at full capacity. Caster's got three Servants to maintain, and Saber didn't go willingly, did she? She'd probably fight any Command Seals given to her. And you have Rider by your side. Plus, the girly knight here should be able to help."

"…What's the catch?" Taiga asked, putting a hand on Mordred's shoulder to stop her growl of anger at the Lancer Servant.

"Well, once we're done with Caster, we're enemies again. Hopefully, as long as my Master doesn't pull a dick move, you can go on your merry way and regroup before we start fighting," Cú Chulainn said with a shrug. "I'd give my oath on my honour, but my Master is sure to royally shaft you if they feel like it."

Rin, after a moment, said, "We'll need to confer. We won't be long."

"Sure. Don't take too long…"

* * *

"Will they agree?" Gilgamesh asked as he sat alongside Kirei, drinking the wines he found in the cellar in the von Einzbern castle. While nowhere near the level of the wines in his treasure house within the Gate of Babylon, they were certainly of far better vintages than those Tokiomi stocked his cellars with. He should have raided them sooner. They were using it as a makeshift base of operations until the witch was dealt with.

"They have been backed into a corner," Kirei said with a shrug. "They'll welcome any help they can get. And that Archer, I am certain he is playing his own game."

"That Faker mongrel," Gilgamesh growled, a flash of anger burning through his soul. "If these fools do not put an end to his tainted existence, then I will do so myself. I'd end him and that witch who stole Arturia from me personally, but this is perhaps better. I want them to believe themselves to be safe, at least from my advent, before I appear before them once more, and claim what is rightfully mine. Arturia, and the Lesser Grail." A thought occurred to him, and he began laughing.

"…What amuses you, my king?" Kirei asked.

"I believe I have found a way to break my would-be bride," Gilgamesh said with a vicious grin. "Arturia was so reluctant before to become my bride, but perhaps making her watch as I use her bastard would help break her. Despite having betrayed her, the two still have feelings for each other beyond ardour and acrimony. I will shatter that bond, and with it, her last remaining defiance…or else let it burn brightly, but briefly, like an ephemeral firework. But I think first I will hurt them by putting an end to those upstart mongrels. That adopted child of the Magus Killer…the Fujimura woman…and her adoptive son…yes, that would be a nice starter to a banquet of pain…"

 **CHAPTER 19 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Yeah, so…sorry about the wait. It may be a bit of a wait before the next one too, but I was a bit stuck on how to get things going again. Anyway, some revelations have been made, and an alliance has been forged…but will things go like in canon? Well, you might be surprised…**

 **Review-answering time!** **meemapow** **: Actually, I'm still on the Camelot chapter, which is a pain in the arse. True, I'm up to Chapter 15, and nearing the end, but it's a bloody hard part of the game…**

 **RinneganPossessor** **: I…honestly don't know whether that would work, like how the Fidelius would affect the Throne of Heroes.**

 **Dragon Man 180** **: Yeah, ending Shinji is always fun. I had him petrified and dumped in the Mion River in** ** _Separated at Birth_** **. I'm sure I can find a variety of fun ways for him to die. He's a bit like Umbridge.**

 **Chronopie** **: He was being metaphorical.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	21. Chapter 20: Assault on the Church

**CHAPTER 20:**

 **ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH**

"It appears that they have decided to come to us," Medea sighed in irritation, looking at her scrying crystal with no small annoyance glittering in her eyes. "I knew they would come, sooner or later, but still…and they're bringing that thrice-cursed Lancer with them. Souichirou…are you ready to defend me?"

The stoic ex-assassin nodded. "As long as you supply the Reinforcement magic, I will do so. Will you be fine, Caster?"

Medea seemed about to wave off his worries, understated though it was, but she grimaced. "…I hope so, Souichirou. With Saber resisting my control…I can't rely on her as a guard. And I still have doubts about Archer's loyalties, even though he is acting as a guard dog." She looked back at Arturia, who was confined by Medea's magecraft. "I'm not worried about the Magi or the wizard. However, they have two Servants, Rider and Lancer, and even if only one makes it past Archer, it could be troublesome. And Mordred…she may be weak by comparison to a Servant, but she is also practically a Saber. Not only that, aside from having been taught swordplay by the Knights of the Round Table, she probably has enough familiarity with magecraft thanks to her mother, Morgan. Still…I've come too far to give up. Incapacitate the brats if you can. If you have to kill…then do so."

As Souichirou nodded, Arturia looked up at Medea. "I didn't think you had it in you to be so merciful, Medea. Or do you have another agenda?" she asked bitterly.

"Why kill them when they can make useful sources of mana?" Medea asked with a shrug. "I'm already drawing upon the mana of Lancer's former Master, though she is yet to wake. I was hoping that, if she woke, she could enlighten me as to who stole him from her, but I think I can already harbour a guess. The magecraft involved is a mixture of those Magi use…and techniques used by the Church. I would not be surprised if that damned priest was Lancer's current Master. I should have killed him when I had the chance, though what game he is playing by allowing Lancer to help your former Master, your child, and their friends is beyond me. And it seems he was into atrocities, too. I found that he siphoned mana from children, barely kept alive in a hidden basement area. They were little more than shrivelled husks. Given that you stated that the Archer from the previous Grail War, Gilgamesh, was still around…that's probably how the priest sustained him."

"…That's horrible."

"Indeed. For all that you decry my siphoning mana from the populace, I am not sadistic enough to do so in a painful manner," Medea said. "But…whoever set that up…they did so to make it as painful as possible…deliberately." Her fist clenched. "I will not lie and say I do not have a sadistic streak. I do. I am infamous for it. But…there are some things I cannot and will not abide by."

Arturia didn't respond verbally, merely fixing Medea with a look that mixed cold condemnation and sympathy. "You disagree?"

"I despise your methods, Medea. I wish you could have found another way. Your wish, while selfish, is nonetheless admirable, because I know you wish for a second chance at life and love. I can respect that, I can see how much you and your Master mean to each other. But as I told my Master in the previous Grail War, noble ends obtained by heinous means are tainted. You are befouling your own redemption."

"I don't take pleasure in what I am forced to do, Arturia. I may enjoy swatting down would-be heroes, given how much the likes of Jason were lauded when I was condemned for something out of my control, but harming innocent civilians is another matter. Of course, we've had this argument before. The sad thing is, history is written by the winners. But this time, I intend to win…"

* * *

It wasn't long before the group (sans Taiga, who had stayed behind, despite wanting to beat some sense into the future version of her honorary little brother) found EMIYA standing in front of the Church. A sardonic smirk was on his features, but they noticed something else in the expression barring cockiness. "I knew you'd be coming here," EMIYA said. "Then again, knowing Shirou and Rin as well as I do, well…it's hardly surprising. Though to see the others here…"

"Shut it, Fake-Tan," Mordred snarled. "You're about as much like Shirou as I am like my father."

EMIYA scoffed. "…That's probably more true than you'd like to think, Mordred."

"So…you're me from the future," Shirou said. "But gone through Hell…they said you were probably a Counter-Guardian. Is that right?"

EMIYA raised an eyebrow. "Pitying me? Pity yourself, Shirou. You're well along the path to becoming me. Even with these ones standing by your side, how long before you go to chase your ideals all alone?"

"He's better than that," Illya said, her crimson eyes narrowing. "One thing Shirou wouldn't do is give up. But you did."

"That's right!" Sakura snapped. "I would not have left you alone to do this, Shirou!"

"You weren't there, Sakura, because you **_did_** leave me alone, though it was perhaps my fault as far as you were concerned. I was pretty oblivious to your feelings back then, fool that I was, and still am," EMIYA said, and his face became contemplative, even sad. "…You took your own life, because you could never work up the courage to admit both your love, and what was done to you by Zouken. You left me behind, and so did Illya, her body rotting away and failing on her, despite our best efforts. And so did Rin, though she didn't die. She just told me to go drown in my ideals when she saw I would not give them up. So…what little plan have you got in play? Only, I doubt you've come up here without any backup. Where's Heracles, anyway?"

"Dead. Murdered by Gilgamesh," Illya scowled.

"…I'm sorry," EMIYA said, surprisingly sincerely. "But I'm still the guard dog to this place, so you'll need at least one Servant to get by."

Cú Chulainn Deastralized. "Yo," he said, even as Medusa did the same.

EMIYA raised an eyebrow. "So you hooked up with this dog so soon after we parted ways?" he asked Rin. "I'd go on about fickleness, but that'd be the pot calling the kettle black, especially as you know who and what I am."

"Well, you know, something about you pissed me off, but this just makes me think you're rotten to the core, Archer," the Lancer Servant retorted. "Even knowing what you were, and what you became, you sicken me. The kid's got more gumption than you."

"No, I've just had my concepts of honour and fair play worn down to a bloody stub," EMIYA said. "So, Rider, do you have anything you'd like to add yourself?"

"Not really. We may be monsters that were made rather than born, but I am trying to be better than I am," Medusa said. Her eyes seemed to narrow behind her blindfold, despite the fact that they were obscured. "You are not."

"I'd be insulted by your words, but I know you have gone through at least a small fraction of the hell I did, Medusa," EMIYA stated. "So, are you going to stay with your Master, or help the dog?"

Cú Chulainn shot Medusa a glance. "Go help the others, Rider. If Saber's under Caster's thumb, they'll need you at the very least. I'm gonna show this prick how dangerous a dog's bite can be."

Medusa nodded, and the quintet of humans, along with the Rider Servant, dashed past EMIYA, who let them go without any move to stop them. Instead, he just faced off against his foe, waiting for the moment to strike…

* * *

Mordred led the way, only to halt when they entered the basement of the church, in a chamber where Medea, Kuzuki…and Father were waiting. A fourth person was present, a young woman with red hair, missing a limb, slumped on a nearby chair, her clothes filthy and bloodstained. Mordred saw her father was suffering, and wanted nothing more than to tear down there and attack. But she knew Kuzuki was a powerful fighter, even without Medea supporting him with Reinforcement, so she restrained herself with considerable difficulty. Still, it looked like her father was resisting whatever the damned witch was doing to her, so Mordred reckoned that she was out of the fight.

"'Sup, bitch?" Mordred said, tapping Clarent on her shoulder, showing a bravado she didn't feel as much as she wanted to. Not with so much at stake. "I've come to rescue my father, and I ain't taking no for an answer."

Medea, whose hood was down, sighed in resignation. Mordred was struck once more by the differences with her mother. Morgan never looked sad, not sincerely. And for all Mordred hated this bitch of a witch, she knew Medea was more desperate than truly evil. "Even though I am the best chance you have at purifying the Grail? Of gaining a wish, or ensuring your father's own?"

"…Would you have even shared the Grail with anyone?" Shirou asked.

"A fair point," Medea admitted. "I could have worded the wish to grant the remaining Servants new lives in this time, not just myself…but in truth, the Grail still needs to be primed with enough energy, assuming I could fix it. Most of the Servants are needed at a bare minimum, or perhaps a city's population. Then again, so many Magi would consider that a pittance to reach Akasha. My ambitions are considerably more mundane." Medea shook her head. "I understand why you do this, Mordred, I really do. I wish I could have reconciled with my family. But I had done too much, gone too far. All for a false love, instilled in me by a slattern of a goddess. I…I envy you the fact that you at least reconciled with your own sire."

"Medea," Harry said. "Gilgamesh, the Archer from the previous Grail War, wiped out Berserker. He's a threat to all of us. At the very least, we need to work together."

"…What?" Medea demanded. "He beat Berserker?! How is that possible?!"

"We know that sounds insane," Rin said. "But he is ridiculously powerful, hurling Noble Phantasms from portals in space. In addition…we have reason to believe that Kirei Kotomine may have known he was around, if not actually allying with him."

Medea looked ashen. "…I knew who Berserker was from my observations. Heracles. I knew him from the _Argo_. But…how could someone kill Heracles so easily? You must admit that such a thing is hard to believe."

"…I can believe it," Mordred's father said, from where she was magically bound. Medea turned to face her as the King of Knights met her gaze. "Gilgamesh was a monster. I fought him. He annihilated Iskandar's Reality Marble, by using an Anti-World Noble Phantasm. He fought me, trying to force me into becoming his wife, or at least concubine."

Mordred scowled at the reminder of what that gold-plated bastard wanted to do to her father. That arrogant prick wanted to reduce the King of Knights to a mere bedwarmer? Mordred may have finally accepted that her father was actually a woman, but it never meant that Arturia Pendragon would be anything but the King of Knights. She heard a distant rumble, a shaking of the floor, presumably from the battle between EMIYA and Cú Chulainn outside.

Medea seemed to be considering the issue, but she still looked sceptical and frightened, not a good combination at all. But then, she seemed to sense something, and her gaze went over to Illya. "Wait…the sensors I integrated into my Workshop here… _Atlas_."

Suddenly, the group of intruders were held under domes of frozen space, before they could react. Medea walked over to them, and peered at Illya, before she began to laugh, albeit in a manner that lacked mirth. "I see, I see! I never truly thought they'd do something like this. What a cruel existence you have, child. A Homunculus, created to be a vessel for the Grail." She then blinked, and then turned her gaze to Sakura, and her avaricious smirk widened. "And what's this? Who would try to turn you into a vessel? And using such vile means? Still…two Lesser Grails for the price of one. I believe I will…"

" _Do nothing_ ," Sakura hissed. And everyone looked at her, her eyes turning crimson, her hair a pale lavender. Her clothes seemed to suddenly become wrapped in black ribbons with crimson lines, before forming a dress. Dark lines, like veins filled with tainted blood, crawled across her skin. "You want to hurt us. You want to hurt Shirou, my sister, and our friends. You do this out of love, but you don't care that you are robbing other people of their loved ones. You hypocritical hag."

Medea scowled. "And? Do you know what it's like to be exploited by the ones you love? To be the one responsible for the demise of family?"

"Yes. I do. You have my pity, Medea of Colchis, even my sympathy. But…you haven't changed. You're just a bitter old witch who couldn't find another way to get what she wanted…no, what she needed."

"Tough talk coming from a girl trapped under frozen space," Medea said. "I can sense your power, girl, but it won't be enough."

Sakura chuckled, the sound devoid of any real mirth, just malice. "…Here's a thing, Medea. My sister is an Average One. In other words, she can use all standard elements in magecraft. Technically, due to my adoption by the Matous, my Element is Water…but under the right circumstances, I can tap into the Element I had from birth."

"And that is?"

Sakura suddenly gestured, a seeming impossibility in the dome of frozen space. A shadow suddenly raced across the floor, bifurcating and, before Medea could react, they touched her hands. Suddenly, Medea screamed in agony, and as the shadows withdrew, her hands started bleeding copiously, the gloves covering them tattered and ruined. "My hands…no, my COMMAND SEALS!"

"They weren't yours to begin with," Sakura said, even as the frozen space over them disappeared, and they could move again. "I've destroyed them. Well, _eaten_ them, in a not-inaccurate turn of phrase."

Medea watched her approach, and paled. "…Imaginary Numbers, the Hollow Element," she realised. "You can manipulate Imaginary Number Space!"

"What the fuck does that mean in normal language?!" Mordred yelped.

"What it means is this hag picked the wrong fight. She thought herself a shark, not knowing that she was but a minnow waiting to become dinner," Sakura said, advancing…only to suddenly convulse, her hair and eyes changing back to normal, and her dark dress fading to reveal her normal clothes. She sagged to the ground, unconscious.

"Sakura!" Shirou yelled, even as Medusa caught her Master.

Medea was glaring at them. But as she prepared to attack, Mordred, on an impulse, dashed forward using Mana Burst. Medea prepared some spells, but she halted when she realised Mordred was not dashing for her. Mordred tackled her father and pulled her behind a column. Father looked up at her. "Mordred?"

"I'm probably going to do something very stupid. I don't know the ritual words, but Sakura's given us a chance, and I hope this works. Father…I'm making a contract with you. As Master and Servant. Please."

She grasped her father's hands in her own, and suddenly, she felt a pull on her very soul, a sting in her hand, and her father suddenly surged to her feet, reinvigorated. "Saber accepts your contract, my child," she said, and they then left cover, glaring at Medea…only to find someone at the top of the stairs.

"What are you doing here, Archer?!" Medea snapped. "You let these fools go by, presumably while fighting off that Lancer, and…"

But her words were cut off when EMIYA blurred into action. Before she could mount a defence, she found herself impaled on his paired swords. "I'm sorry," EMIYA said, actually sincerely. "But as powerful as you are, you wouldn't be of any help against Gilgamesh, or the taint in the Grail."

Medea sagged to her knees, vomiting up a gout of blood, Mordred dashing over to the Caster and catching her. Despite her anger and antipathy towards the infamous Magus, Mordred supported her, even as she glared at EMIYA. "Fake-Tan…what the fuck did you do?"

"Eliminated a dangerous enemy. Thank you for distracting her…and making a contract with Arturia. I'd gambled on Rin being the one to do so, but you and Harry are acceptable."

Medea looked up into Mordred's face. "You show pity for me, even after all I did?"

"…You were a bitch of the highest order…but…I know what it's like to be known for nothing but betrayal, even if there's more to us than that."

"…Mordred…yes, you would know…" Medea glared over at EMIYA, even as particles of mana wafted from her. "Whereas you…I pity you, but not as much as I despise you. You'll never succeed in erasing yourself from existence. May you be cursed to forevermore suffer as Alaya's attack dog. May your other selves be better heroes than you ever will amount to, to taunt you with what you could have been. May you taste nothing but ashes, blood and despair for eternity." She then turned her eyes to Kuzuki. "…My love…live…"

As she disappeared with a sorrowful sigh, EMIYA shook his head. "I will do what I need to do. Even if the Grail is truly a threat, another threat exists in this very room." He then turned to Sakura, who was being cradled by Medusa. "Something dark has awakened in her, something that is the reason I was called on here as a Counter-Guardian. And it is my duty to eliminate her…"

 **CHAPTER 20 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Oh dear. Sorry about the wait, but I hope this chapter was worth it. You'll be getting another one with the December update, so as I managed to finish that one, I thought you guys would appreciate having this one.**

 **Now, some thoughts. I'd always (or at least for several chapters) intended for Mordred rather than Rin (or Harry) to become Arturia's new Master. The reason is because it sort of brings their reconciliation arc to a close, even though it was pretty much complete. Plus, there's something apt about that, that, even though they now have a Master/Servant relationship, it's nothing compared to their parent/child and king/knight relationships, which are now stronger than ever. This is basically the final affirmation of their bond.**

 **Now, stuff I didn't intend. Firstly, Sakura using her Dark Sakura powers. I knew that, once Medea realised Illya and/or Sakura were Lesser Grails, well, negotiations were over. How to get out of it? Well, Dark Sakura/the Shadow were OP as hell in the** ** _Heaven's Feel_** **storyline. The reason why she fainted was simply because she had never really used these powers before, and overtaxed herself.**

 **Secondly, EMIYA threatening Sakura. EMIYA's still not sure about Shirou changing his ideals yet, so when he sees Sakura as a threat, well…it's his duty as a Counter-Guardian to eliminate it. He doesn't really care that this will hurt the others. In truth, he does hope it hurts Shirou, out of pettiness, and he'd rather give Sakura a merciful end than let her suffer from whatever taint is within her.**

 **Finally, Medea's death. I was tempted to spare her after she gets her Command Seals removed (Medea and Medusa are so underutilised in canon, especially the former, as at least Medusa gets the spotlight in** ** _Heaven's Feel_** **), but decided not to. That thing about Mordred cradling her as she dies was…well, I wrote that in on a whim, and given that both Mordred and Medea are infamous as traitors, even though their strings were being pulled by others, I thought it apt. I think Mordred also subconsciously wishes that Morgan was more like Medea, someone who actually had a genuine capacity for love, even if she was still a twisted person. Her cursing EMIYA was inspired not only by Diarmuid's death in** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, but Avicebron's own curse in** ** _My Beautiful Huntress_** **.**

 **Review-answering time!** **hziulquoigmnzhah** **: True, but keep in mind, even in** ** _Fate/Zero_** **, Gilgamesh got a kick out of seeing Arturia being crushed under the burden of her kingship. He wants her bent to his will, and I think being tainted by Angra Mainyu's mud probably made him worse.**

 **Arei- The Peridot Dragon** **: Sadly, the reviewer did not give a link to wherever Kinoku Nasu posted that info about Sakura. I have heard that it may be on a Reddit, but I can't swear to that.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	22. Chapter 21: Unlimited Blade Works

**CHAPTER 21:**

 **UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS**

Almost instantly, Sakura was shielded by the others. Medusa and Shirou were closest, Arturia and Mordred closest to EMIYA, while Illya and Harry were sandwiched between them. Only Kuzuki didn't move. He may as well have been a statue. Only a faint difference to his eyes, a suspicious glistening, told of him being affected by Medea's death. "Was this your goal all along, EMIYA?" Kuzuki asked. "To betray us?"

"It was an option I kept open, but I needed to be certain as to whether or not Medea could purge the Grail of her taint. Once I felt that darkness within Sakura…I knew she couldn't. It's older even than her. Otherwise, I might very well have considered letting her live if the others did, using you as leverage against Medea. In truth, I was less of a traitor and more of a Trojan Horse. Rather apt, as, while she had little to do with Troy, she was a Greek hero…well, technically Georgian, given that Colchis is now Georgia, but Colchis was a Greek colony at the time."

"I see. So it was a mistake for her to recruit you. A fatal one." Kuzuki then began approaching EMIYA.

"You really wish to do this?" EMIYA asked. "If you do, I won't stop you…but she wanted you to live."

"True…and I had little desire for the Grail beyond Medea's own. But this is something I started. Best I see it through to the bitter end, even if it's most likely my own," Kuzuki said. "I joined this, not caring about moral consequences. Without her, I have literally little to live for. I am just back where I started, a discarded assassin without purpose or meaning."

And with that, he lunged. It was over quickly. EMIYA disabled first Kuzuki's left arm, before impaling him on one of his blades. Kuzuki staggered back, looking more like an automaton than a human being, before he sagged back against a pillar like a puppet with its strings cut. Collapsing masonry gave him a fitting, if makeshift grave.

"That's enough bloodshed, EMIYA!" Arturia yelled.

EMIYA scoffed mirthlessly. "Enough bloodshed, Arturia?" His steel grey eyes met her own emerald eyes with weary disdain. "I have killed millions…no, I'm not sure how many I have killed as Alaya's attack dog. I cried out the very same thing, and Alaya…well, didn't care. Alaya doesn't sneer or laugh, but it might as well have done so. Besides, we're in the middle of a Holy Grail War. There has only been enough bloodshed when there is a winner. Then again, most of the whole point of betraying Rin was to ensure you had a better Master, though when I saw Harry and Mordred, I decided, eventually, that they were my backup plans. And had Sakura not show the power she hides inside her…I may not have even bothered with killing Shirou, as I originally considered. With Mordred, Rin, Harry and Sakura keeping him from drowning in his ideals, it is clear that my plan would not work with this version."

Shirou scowled. "You were going to try and kill me? Rin was right, you're trying to create a time paradox to wipe yourself from existence."

"Exactly, but it only works if you are an existence close to my own. But…Sakura has changed the game."

"What's so dangerous about her Imaginary Numbers trait?!" Harry demanded.

"Quite a lot, but that's not what worries me. It's what feels like a tainted version of the Grail within her that's so dangerous, it's my duty as a Counter-Guardian to destroy it." With a gesture, Projected swords caged them in again. "I will do so cleanly. But I know I will have to take you all on to do this. So…it's time to show you what I am truly capable of. I will have to go all out against two Servants and their hangers-on." Suddenly, blue energy purled around him, as he began chanting.

" _I am the bone of my sword,_

 _Steel is my body, and fire is my blood._

 _I have created over a thousand blades,_

 _Unknown to death,_

 _Nor known to life._

 _Have withstood pain to create many weapons,_

 _Yet these hands will never hold anything._

 _So, as I pray, UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS!_ "

Just as Mordred, Arturia and Medusa managed to kick themselves free from the Projected swords, a massive shockwave of fire consumed the area…

* * *

…And suddenly, they were elsewhere. A blasted, twilit wasteland, swords and weapons of all sorts stuck into the ground. In the heavily clouded sky, massive gears turned, no logic to their placement.

Arturia looked around, and hissed, "A Reality Marble…"

"What, like Iskandar's?" Harry asked, before he turned his glare to EMIYA. "…So this is your Noble Phantasm, the one thing unique to you, aside from Xeroxing copies of other Noble Phantasms."

"Of course. A Reality Marble comes about because of a warped mind. Shirou Emiya had everything about his past burned away during the Fuyuki Fire, and Kiritsugu Emiya planted, inadvertently, seeds that bore bitter fruit. Not just the psychological ones, of a Hero of Justice, but he put Avalon into Shirou to save his life. Why do you think that the only magecraft he can use are specifically designed to help him analyse and recreate Noble Phantasms? He is a sheath for a milliard of swords. I could even replicate Excalibur, but replicating a Divine Construct like that would probably prove lethal, and I would only last long enough to take you with me…though the others would get caught up in the crossfire too. Of course, there are other familiar weapons…" And with that, he recreated what looked like a hooked lance.

Medusa gasped in horror. "You…recreate that damned thing to taunt me?"

"In a manner. I know Perseus used Harpe to take your head and your life, Medusa," EMIYA said. "While Kanshou and Bakuya are my preferred weapons for close range combat, I have a Noble Phantasm for every occasion. Like Excalibur, replicating a Divine Construct like Rhongomyniad would be fatal…but I have to wonder what it would do."

"Go to hell, Archer," sneered Mordred.

"Too late. I'm already there," EMIYA said, before he made a gesture, and swords began appearing in the air behind him. "I don't take any pleasure in this, but with Sakura being a danger to us all, I can't take the risk. I will…"

Mordred instantly sprinted forward using Mana Burst, sending a mental call to her Father to protect the others. Clarent blurred as the swords fired towards her, but she batted them away. And soon, she was upon him, lashing out with Clarent, and forcing EMIYA to jump back. " _Die_ ," she said as she began pressing her attack. "That's all you will be doing, Fake-Tan! You're not Shirou! Shirou would never give up! Compromise his ideals, maybe, but giving up saving people?! You only made the deal with Alaya because you were **_stupid_**. Don't get me wrong…he's stupid too, took me beating the fact that Sakura wanted to be his girlfriend into his thick skull to get him to realise it. But…he's like me, like Father, like Harry. We protect the innocent. We shield those who can't defend themselves, and help those who can. That's what a true hero is, and you…you're no hero. Even Medusa is way better than you. You don't even want to find another solution to helping Sakura. All you can think of is killing her. Whatever your version of her saw in you…it must've been as fake as every fucking Noble Phantasm in this rubbish dump of a mind you have here! Because if she really was your friend, _you'd actually_ _ **try**_ _to_ _ **save**_ _her!_ "

EMIYA managed to parry one of her attacks, causing her to stumble, only for him to kick her back and send her tumbling down the small rise he had been perched on. "This coming from the bratty little girl who tore down a kingdom because her father wouldn't acknowledge her? You dare call yourself a hero after all the misery you brought upon Camelot, its people, its _king?_ " he snapped angrily.

"Yeah, of course I do. Don't get me wrong, history's gonna call me a monster and a traitor for the rest of time, I know it," Mordred said, getting to her feet. But then, she grinned. "But you know what, Fake-Tan? I accept that. And I don't let it stop me from becoming better than I was. I am Mordred Pendragon, Knight of the Round Table, and even if Camelot is ashes and dust, I am still King Arthur's child, and a big goddamn hero, even if it'll only be known to my family and friends! I ain't proud of what I was…but I'm proud of what I am now, and I'm gonna be even prouder of myself in the future. So, tell me, you fake-tanned bitch of Alaya, what the actual fuck are you, other than a butt-hurt plagiarist with a shitty rubbish-dump of a mental world? Because from where I'm standing, you're lower than the horseshit I had to wipe off my shoes one day."

"Are you trying to buy time with your trash talk?" EMIYA asked with a sneer. "Unlimited Blade Works may consume a lot of mana, like all Reality Marbles, but I can maintain it long enough to deal with you all."

"And allow Gilgamesh a chance to get the Grail?" Medusa asked, closer than Mordred thought.

EMIYA hadn't noticed her approach, and so he turned to face her, only to recoil when he realised her blindfold was off, but her eyes were shut. "No…"

" _Yes_ ," Medusa said, before her eyes snapped open. Mordred was out of the line of fire, but she could feel the pressure coming from those eyes. "You threatened Sakura, whom I vowed to protect, as I did, and failed, with my sisters. _I will_ _ **not**_ _fail again_."

EMIYA, even as parts of his body began to petrify, didn't need to do much. All it took was a moment's concentration. And suddenly, Harpe flung itself from the sky, ready to impale her…only for another sword to intercept it, knocking it off course. "What?!" EMIYA hissed, watching as the sword hit the ground, and dissolved into blue motes of light.

His eyes flickered over to where Shirou was, his hand outstretched. "This is my world, not just yours. Mordred was right about you. I'll surpass you. I'll save everyone I can. Sakura…my friends…even the world. Because we fight together…but you…you fight alone. You'll always fight alone."

And then, Harry had his wand out, and the Noble Phantasms stuck in the ground began to rise into the air. Mordred noticed that the area around Shirou had changed subtly…as if another version of the same Reality Marble was present. "How? This is my reality!" EMIYA snapped.

"How did Adam Savage nearly put it?" Harry asked. "We reject your reality, and substitute our own! DEPULSIO!"

Once outside of the region of Unlimited Blade Works Shirou was infecting, the blades seemed to lose some power and momentum. EMIYA swatted them aside with ease, only for Shirou to rush forward, Projecting a familiar blood red spear as the Counter-Guardian, slowed by Medusa's petrification and distracted by the swords, was unable to counter. " ** _GÁE BOLG!_** " he roared.

It was not wielded with the same finesse as Cú Chulainn, or his teacher, Scathach. But it didn't need to be. EMIYA's eyes widened, and Mordred felt the same judder of reality she had felt when her father was on the receiving end of the same attack, to finally find EMIYA hurled through the air, impaled on the energy tendril the spear emitted. He crashed to the ground, just as the Reality Marble collapsed, blood gouting from his mouth.

A pained chuckle escaped his lips. "…First time that damn spear was used on me, Rin revived me. Second time…well, Lancer used it on me just outside this church…I guess third time unlucky…should've tried Projecting Rho Aias again…" He chuckled again, only to cough up more blood. "…Ahh, it hurts to laugh…"

Shirou, however, had collapsed from Projecting the Noble Phantasm, panting heavily. "…We could have used your help to stop Gilgamesh," Arturia said, glaring at EMIYA. "Why would you make us do this?"

"…I've been an attack dog of Alaya for too long," EMIYA rasped. "Sakura…she's still a threat to the world. Maybe you could stop her, but…no…I hope you can stop her. I just…one life to save many…you know that's Kiritsugu's creed, Arturia, one I've been forced to adopt."

"Just because it's not his creed doesn't mean it's mine," Shirou said. "I may have started off as a Hero of Justice…but even if my path has changed, I won't sacrifice my friends to save the world. I will find another way."

EMIYA chuckled darkly. "Even with different ideals, you're just as boneheaded as ever…not that I can talk…still…I hope you don't ever end up like me, Shirou…" With a final rasping chuckle, he dissipated into azure motes of mana.

In the silence that followed, they heard an Irish brogue break the silence. "Ugh, my head…why the hell does it feel like I've gone on a pub crawl?"

They turned to find the redhead from earlier stirring from where she was lying down. "Bazette?" Harry asked. "You're awake now? Bazette…I need you to avoid panicking."

"…Potter? Why would I need to avoid…" Bazette suddenly realised that she was missing an arm. "…Son of a bitch," she growled. "I can't believe I…oh, I'm gonna bloody kill him!"

"Who?" Rin asked.

Bazette glared at her. "Kirei Kotomine. That bastard stole my arm and Command Seals! He's got Lancer! Now, I'm guessing you lot found me, so you've got a few minutes to explain what the bloody hell is going on here…"

 **CHAPTER 21 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. I'm sure this chapter will prove controversial for how I portrayed EMIYA, but I don't think it's too OOC.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


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